Clover Spear - The Story of the '56 War
by Panzerfaust 150
Summary: AU. Hanse Davion should have died of that heart attack in 3052, but he didn't. It did force him to retire. And, like all retirees, he's taken up a few hobbies. Shame the Clans are going to hate his choice of hobbies.
1. Prologue

Clover Spear,

Book 1- A Time to Plan, A Time to Plot

Prologue

August 7th, 3053

Offices of the First Prince Emeritus

Castle Davion

New Avalon

Federated Commonwealth

It was not easy to bore Hanse Davion, but his enforced retirement had finally accomplished it. _Everyone else has something to do, I go and have one little heart attack and everybody starts coddling me like I am made of bone china!_ Hanse's mind raged, retirement had been couched romantically. He would have more time for his hobbies and philanthropy, they said. He would be able to do as he pleased, they said.

They lied, he realized. _May my thrice damned doctors be given their own enforced retirements..and the home care nurses? Why do I need a home care nurse? I can walk, talk, wipe my own posterior, just what the hell do I need a home care nurse for? I am a very spry 70 years old I will have them know! I know they all mean well, but really, I was a 'Mechwarrior for Book's sake!_

The enforced inactivity was galling to Hanse. Hanse had lived his entire life as a man of action, a well-read, rakish man of action, but one nevertheless. The "guilded cage" his doctors had put him in was, to say the least, a sources of frustration. He knew his son was ready to rule. And, that Melissa was thinking of abdicating herself to spend all of her time with Hanse, and how Hanse was kind of dreading that, for Mel's sake. _She will go insane within the year. They don't tell you retirement is not all it is cracked up to be._

That said, Hanse did enjoy some of his enforced retirement, he had managed to hack his way into the NAIS system, and was occasionally appearing in student wargames as a black-painted _Battlemaster._ _It was fun to mop the floor with those kids. But then, you were one of those kids, Hanse._ But if his doctors, or god forbid, his family found out, they'd kill him for sure.. _especially Melissa and Katherine. They say women are in our lives to civilize us..is it wrong I am bloody tired of being civilized?_

The other hobby Hanse had cultivated of late was reading…and writing. Having been a soldier and ruler most of his adult life, he had become a prolific op-ed writer to the _Brunswick Chronicle,_ under the name John Sanderson, a friend who had been killed during his time with the 3rd Davion Guards. _Forgive me, old comrade, for the deception I must use._ Hanse didn't want to be printed just because he used to be the First Prince, hence the pen name. Nobody at the Chronicle knew, all they did know was that Sanderson used to be a "high ranking military officer with connections at the palace who commented from time to time on military and political matters". It spared a lot of people a lot of headaches..and spared Hanse from having to write his memoirs like some blowhard. _Plus it helps my introspection and intellectual honesty to write about myself in the third person._

But Hanse had a new obsession of late. Though age had slowed him down, the ravages of age had spared his mind. And it was as sharp, and obsessive as ever. Stacked around his moderately (and lushly furnished) sized office was piles of books on a very specific force in history: The Soviet military. This was interspersed with stacks of BattleROMs and intelligence reports on the Clans. _Thank you my son for keeping my security clearances current, though he thinks I am writing a book like Doctor Banzai..if only he knew what I was really up to…he and his mother would be furious. But what the hell are they going to do about it, send me to bed without supper?_ Hanse chuckled at that last thought with not a little bit of genuine mirth.

He had been attacking the problem that had been on everyone's mind lately, that of the Clans. He hadn't thought much of the conventional wisdom, which the Inner Sphere was going to have to use the truce to close the technological gap to take on the clans some 15 years from now. _We have let those damn Clanners dictate the fight from the beginning. And that is precisely the wrong way to approach this._

Hanse had cast about for examples in history to approach the Clan issue. He knew much of their success had come from three factors; One was surprise, they had had the unknown on their side, and that advantage had faded by the time Tukayyid had rolled around. The second, that had been their supposedly superior training, but as he had looked over the BattleROMs, he wasn't so convinced. Sure, they were excellent individual mechwarriors, but their ability to coordinate at the operational and strategic levels stunk, for lack of a better word. Their offensive, should, by all rights, have collapsed from the logistical strain a year earlier than it did, and it damnned well did on Tukayyid, but the Clans took stoicism to a new art form. They simply shorted their lower classes, from all the intelligence he had been getting from the LIC reports coming out of the Clan OZ. The third was painfully obvious, their technology. But their logistical hangups, even with omnimech technology (which should have freed them to some degree from said logistical issues), suggested that their industrial base wherever they came from was to some degree, limited.

All of these things made them vulnerable. To Hanse, they resembled the German Wehrmacht after the first winter of invading the Soviet Union. They were powerful, and had survived, but they were still weaker than when they had begun. And that alone, to Hanse, provided an opening. One that could be exploited.

It had become rather interesting material to Hanse, and while logic, not to mention good sense had stated he should probably write a paper for NAMA about it, he knew that would get the damn thing stamped "Most Secret", filed away, and a stern talking to by Melissa and Victor. _No, if I cannot convince my visitor today, then the whole enterprise is for naught._

What Hanse had learned was interesting. Contrary to many of his instructors at NAIS, the Soviets were not a bumbling force that had relied solely on mass, but had developed a very refined form of Operational Art that fit the solution he was looking for with the Clans to a "T". The Soviet concepts of massed fire, deep battle and seeking to force the enemy to fight a series of encirclement battles he was destined to lose was the solution versus the Clans. It would not matter the amount of technology he had, they would mass the numbers needed at the point of decision, and swamp the Clans. And the Federated Commonwealth would do it better than the Soviets did…the AFFC was an all-volunteer force that had a good standard of training. _Hell the old American Military had a force that pretended to be the Soviets for many years…and did it better than they did…why can't we?_

All he had to do now was convince his oldest friend that it was possible.

A knock at the heavy oak door brought Hanse out of his reverie. His head perked up and he shouted "Enter" far more brusquely than he had intended. The door creaked like the bones of an old man, and it opened slowly to reveal the form of Ardan Sortek, Ardan was slightly bent with age, as he had just turned 60 last month, with his remaining hair thinning, and shot through with grey. He was dressed in his customary AFFS fatigues, even though the uniform of the day was undress greens, except during state occasions (which were often). Sortek had been the Prince's Champion, and was still on the General Staff at Mount Davion, though he was handing over more of his responsibilities to his aides. His craggy face was cracked with a beaming smile. Hanse and Ardan didn't get to see too much of each other due to Ardan's remaining responsibilities, not to mention Ardan writing his memoirs.

"Looking good, Hanse, how is retirement?" Ardan inquired, still wearing his wry smile as he unceremoniously deposited himself in a plush couch across from Hanse's lounge chair. .

"Ardan, I will spare you my answer, as you already know what it is" Hanse stated with a trace of exhausted mirth. "Retirement, is, to put it in simple words, boring."

"So I hear, I come bearing a request from Mel and Katherine for you to please stop terrorizing the palace staff and the head of the military archives." Sortek replied, spreading his hands in a non-committal gesture.

Hanse shook his head "Now Arden, would little old me do such a thing? I am under doctor's orders to-"

Arden's face creased with a wry smirk as he interrupted "Um, Hanse, we both know that is bull. You don't follow a lick of the orders of your doctor since you agreed to abdicate, and your idea of retirement is just working an 8 hour day like the rest of us mortals. You will be happy to know it is a work ethic your son shares."

 _Ah Victor, I guess he is finding out about how heavy the crown really is..not that he had any illusions about that._ Hanse mused. "Arden, have a question for you, and before you answer it, I still have my security clearances, and this office is swept for bugs on a regular basis."

Arden's features went blank. _His face said it all, he knows about some of my extra-curricular activities._ "I know about the Brunswick Courier, Hanse. John Sanderson? Anybody who knows you knew about him. He got the Sunburst for what he did on Halstead Station, posthumously of course. You really ought to be more careful. MIIO had to pay the editor a visit when he got too curious about who John Sanderson was, and compared it to some of your speeches!"

"Does Victor or Mel know?"

"Not yet, Hanse, but they will find out shortly, because Quintus is going to have to tell them. And they are both going to lose it. I am here to head it off at the pass." Arden leaned forward, with a look of concern in his eyes. "Hanse, you have a heart condition. Do what other parents do, harass your kids into making you grandparents."

"Haven't got time for that. " Hanse waved off Ardan's concern, dismissing it as trivial. "'Old friend, I have been doing a lot of reading, and thinking. I have time for plenty these days."

Ardan had seen that look before, the look had been in Hanse's eyes when he had first thought of Operation RAT, or the abortive invasion of the Combine. The old Hanse was back. But he wasn't the same old spry Hanse Davion, or was he?

"I have been giving some thought about the Clan problem. Our enemies have some serious structural and doctrinal issue, ones we should be exploiting sooner, rather than later-"

"Hanse, we have thousands of staff officers here and on Tharkad, whose job it is to study the damn problem, and you think you, with a second rate holo map, and piles of old books-" gesturing to the cluttered office "-suddenly have a solution to the problem?"

Hanse nodded.

Ardan exhaled "Ok old friend, well, if I am going to get in trouble with Melissa and Victor, we might as well make it worth our while, show me what you have…"

.. _To say that the planning for what eventually became Clover Spear was unorthodox is an understatement. Hanse Davion was always a sharp operational and strategic mind with a penchant for thinking outside the box. Operation RAT, the abortive '39 conflict, all of these had used the enemy's structural weakness against them in a brutal, yet elegant format. But the Clans had scared the Inner Sphere silly, to say the least. They had struck without warning, and had savaged half-a-hundred regiments and taken a hundred worlds. The few victories against them had been costly, and had cost Hanse Davion what was left of his health. He was the last person anyone would have thought to have come up with a plan to launch a counter offensive only six years after the invasion._

 _But sometimes, serendipity does find itself in the strangest of places._

Page 96, Ch 9, Marshal Reginald Herrigan, AFFC (ret) "Punch the Falcon and Stomp the Viper" -


	2. FPDB

_Situation Room_

 _Fox's Den, Mount Davion_

 _New Avalon_

 _Federated Suns_

 _February 20th, 3054_

 _Dad, I really hope you are right about this_. A furrow of genuine worry creased Victor Ian Steiner-Davion's 24 year old face, making him, for a moment, look older than his father. _Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown. Now I know why you had me read Shakespeare, Dad. It is good training to be a ruler in this nutty little Inner Sphere of ours._

The main situation room had been used for centuries for moments great and small in the history of the Federated Suns. It was dominated by a large, oval table made of New Avalon maple, with sturdy legs, and custom chairs that could bring up personal holographic displays to bring up information of interest to the user. The wall was also covered in flat screen holodisplays that could be used to display troop movements or situation reports.

Victor was right now listening to the First Prince Daily Brief or FPDB, being presented by a team from DMI's MI2, MI7 and MIIOs Department of Information Gathering. Surrounding Victor was representatives of the FC General Staff, the Federated Suns State Command, the Privy Council, as well as Quintus Allard (who purportedly never missed one of these meetings since being named to the post of Minister of Intelligence in 3022).

It was why Victor was damn glad he had Katherine to his right, and Galen to his left. Katherine was very good at seeing the political implications of things, and she was going to make a good "executive officer" when Victor got kicked upstairs in the near future. Galen was good at seeing through the "bovine scatology" but had, over drinks, asked Victor "Victor, my friend, my comrade, whatever did I do to you to get posted to this godforsaken nuthouse?"

Victor smiled, and simply said "This is for hitting me on Trellwan."

Right now, Victor was listening to the intelligence implications of new Marik agricultural and medical assistance to the Capellan Confederation. The analysts, who looked to a man like guys who did not enjoy much sunlight, or the company of the opposite sex, were to a man and woman, pasty white, and way, way too excited about their subject matter. _Quintus, what the hell were you thinking letting this lot present today? This is something that could have been dealt with at the ministerial level…_

"…the amount of civil and surprisingly, military traffic in these humanitarian shipments can only be characterized as alarming, and suggest that we have underestimated both the Free Worlds League's medical and agricultural output by a factor of 1.5, and their jumpships by a factor of three, which, even with recent windfall profits from their arms sales to the rest of the Inner Sphere, are impossible in such a short amount of time."

Katherine raised her hand. Victor blanched, _Uh oh, guess I get another lesson by little sis in what I don't know about politics and economics…_

"Um, excuse me Dr. Felton, I hate to interrupt this very complete, and fascinating report, but did you say we have grossly underestimated both the civil productive capability as well as the jumpship capacity of a major enemy of the Federated Commonwealth?" Katherine queried, there was a look of concern on her face..one that suggested a slowly growing sense of alarm.

Dr. Felton, who was a pudgy, bespectacled individual, who struck Victor as a bit of an eccentric, swallowed loudly, glanced at Quintus Allard, who simply nodded his approval. "Yes, mam, that is exactly what we are saying."

Victor's stomach bottomed out. "How in the hell did we miss this?"

Dr. Felton chuckled nervously.."Uh…well..your Highness, we only just began applying a new method of traffic analysis to the problem. Whomever was doing this, they knew our old methods…and that's not easy, or public, sir. And that should scare us even more."

Marshal Jackson Davion leaned forward, his face being bathed in hololight as he didn't bother to turn his personal display off. "Any idea who is backing them?"

"Sir, we are running some financial forensics, with the cooperation of the Ministry of Justice, and the early indicators..mind you, sir, they are preliminary..but it might be the Word Of Blake, they are-"

Victor cut him off with a wave "We all know who the Word of Blake are, but, Dr. Felton, but do they really have the financial wherewithal to pull this off?"

Dr. Felton simply stated "We have no reason to believe otherwise."

Victor shook his head in disgust, _Damn you Sun-Tsu. Well, you are a crafty little slimeball. I really need to commend all involved here. This was a damn good catch. I would have missed this easily, but not Katherine. I guess NAIS Poli Sci IS a good department._

"Ok, here is what is going to happen." Victor intoned softly, but with an air of command in his voice. An unofficial rule of the Fox's Den is that there was to be no raised voices in the Situation Room. No member of the Davion family had ever broken that rule.

"Katherine, form a team to study this. You saw it before the rest of us did, figure out the implications of this, with attention to the Word of Blake, and present me a personal report within 10 days, Dr. Felton, consider yourself on this team. By the way, this thing just became a codeword access level project. If the Blakists are involved, I don't want a damn word of this going out via HPG, couriers or FAX only."

Everyone nodded. "And Doctor Felton? Use small words, will you. I know you guys worked very damn hard on this thing, but honestly, 'COMINT meta data analysis? You are making this 'Mechjock's eyes glaze over." Everyone, including Dr. Felton, had a chuckle at that.

"I apologize, your Highness. We in the Traffic Analysis section of IDG get really, really excited when somebody calls us to the Fox's Den. Not a lot of people get what we do."

Everyone had another chuckle, Victor raised his hand again and spoke "Dr. Felton, if this bears out, you have discovered a major threat to the Commonwealth, and at the right time. Be proud of that. My sister and her staff can help you polish this thing. But it is solid, it must be if Katherine and Quintus are that concerned. Thank you Dr. Felton."

With that, Dr. Felton's team grabbed their papers and made for the exit, as there was one more presentation to be made. And in the light of this new information, it made that decision more difficult to make.

Hanse Davion strode into the Situation room like he had never left. His posture, though stooped by age, was still fairly erect. His now grey hair shone like stars in the sky, and he proudly wore the uniform of his beloved 3rd Guards, and it gleamed, gleamed so brightly that a NAMA drill instructor would have wept. And his eyes…Hanse's eyes burned with a cyan fire that Victor had not seen in them since he was a boy. _Putting on quite the show, Dad. Now, can you deliver the goods?_

Hanse flashed his winning smile at the room, it was genuine, he was glad to be back in his element, planning a massive military operation that, again, could change the very face of the Inner Sphere, whether it succeeded, or failed.

"Hello everyone, I will admit it is good to be back, haven't seen this place in a while. I will spare all of us the wool gathering of an old man, and get right to it: We have let the Clans dictate the nature, and tempo of this conflict for far, far, too long."

The room filled with murmurs and the assembled generals and ministers looked at each other incredulously.

Katherine was the first to speak "Father, how in the world do you expect to change that, they have brought low some of our best regiments, and taken hundreds of worlds, I am not trying to sound defeatist, but-"

Hanse held up his hands in a gesture of supplication.

"Katherine, I will get to that, but first, a minor, and hopefully, brief history lesson."

Hanse produced a remote for the main holoprojector from his pocket and clicked a button, a slide appeared that read simply: "Clan Advantages" in black text against a soft blue background.

"When the Clans arrived in the Inner Sphere, they had, as far as conventional military wisdom is concerned, three main advantages, we are going to examine them, and address why, well, those advantages are either overstated, or in some cases, non-existent at this point."

Hanse then clicked a button on his remote and text appeared on the slide that read simply, "1. Surprise".

"Ladies and gentlemen, this was one of the major Clan allies in their whirlwind conquest of their occupation zones. Surprise. They had it in spades. We knew little to anything about them. Hell, you all remember the rumors. We thought they were damned aliens, until Jamie Wolf had his little meeting with us."

Victor winced uncontrollably at the memories of the pain some of the training inflicted. _Yeah, that was fun, but in some ways…a waste. Sure it encouraged some unity among us, but Sun-Tsu Liao..it did nothing for him…_ The very mention of Sun-Tsu had caused Victor's right fist to curl in anger. _Careful, Victor, he is something of your blind spot, focus on the Clans. They are more of a threat then that madman will ever be._

"As the old saying goes, ladies and gentlemen, 'the best way to know someone, is to fight them'. I would say we know the Clans pretty well now. Well enough for me to present our other two points, with a fair degree of confidence."

"We know the rules behind their warrior culture, we know how it functions, and more importantly, we know why. We know if functions on artificial rules, and a monopoly of violence that is even more pronounced than anything found in the Inner Sphere, even in the Capellan Confederation. And even the Capellans, ladies and gentlemen, do not radically shortchange their own citizenry to the degree the Clans do to keep their warrior class going. Just look at the Clan logistical collapse on Tukkayyid. What many of you don't know is that for the first time in hundreds of years, there were food riots on Tamar? Tamar, a breadbasket world..had no food? Why, because the Clans collectivized the farms under their Merchant caste. This is but one example. Their logistical system is a shoestring, and it will collapse under another major strain. One this plan intends to provide."

Hanse then clicked the button again, and another point appeared on the slide "2. Training".

"We have all been hearing how the Clan warrior is the epitome of warfare. They are unstoppable paragons, and we just got lucky. Nonsense!"

The room, for the first time in hundreds of years, exploded in an uproar.

Hanse put up his hands again.."Quiet please, ladies and gentlemen, QUIET!" Hanse's command voice came out, and all, even his own children obeyed, and sat meekly down. Sure, Hanse wasn't First Prince anymore, but he still could engender the loyalty and respect of one with a simple voice or gesture.

"I know I have not faced them across a battlefield, ladies and gentlemen. I understand that. But everything I have read, and seen. The Clans produce men and women whom are very good individual warriors. But ask yourselves? Those of you who have faced them, what kind of real operational or strategic ability have they shown? Their bidding system is a unique way to guarantee economy of force, for example, but it doesn't encourage mass at all, and their dueling system while a morally satisfying means of warfare, only works when the opponent is willing to reciprocate, and is inferior technologically, if the Clans had the same technological standard we had, they would lose."

"Our doctrine, our way of making war, it is based on thousands of years of refinement and development. Everyone from Sun-Tsu, to Clauswitz, to Kerensky. The Clans are of the opinion that if it did not come from Kerensky, it must be rubbish. I am willing to go out on a limb and state that I do not think the father would have approved of what the son created. The Clans, when it comes to the doctrinal underpinnings of war, or the strategic and operational principles of said same, know nothing, and are happy to remain ignorant, mainly because their technology is so dominant."

Hanse then pushed the button on his clicker again, and a third point appeared "3. Technology".

Hanse exhaled, and took an offered glass of water, of which he drained greedily. "The Clan technological advantage is steep, but history is filled with nations who were technologically advanced, but still lost wars because they refused to pay more than lip service to the other Principles of War. Nazi Germany is one that comes to mind. The Clans, in fact, are making the same mistake. They are counting on own 'decadence' to do their work for them. They had counted on being greeted as liberators, while enslaving entire populations and calling it a lofty name like "bondsman". Their logistical system is so bad, that they are living off the land like the Mongols, or an ancient army, certainly not an army of the 31st Century. It is why they failed at Tukkayyid and to a lesser extent, Luthien. To continue the Nazi Germany analogy, right now, the Clans have fallen short of their goal, Terra. They have survived the winter, but now, their entire enterprise lacks any strategic direction. It is a military endeavor without a goal, really. They claim they are going to Terra, but ComStar has barred that door. They have yielded the strategic initiative, we must, for the future of the Inner Sphere, pick up the baton..and ram it down the throat of the Clans."

Hanse then clicked his remote once more, and a map of the Jade Falcon Occupation Zone soon materialized, then one by one, colored arrows appeared, denoting proposed movements of forces against target worlds. The plan was focused, ambitious, but it was a sledgehammer. The proposed force ratios were brutal, as much as anywhere from 4 to 6 to one against the Jade Falcons or Vipers. It was the opposite of the Clan way of war. It was not meant to take worlds back so much, as it was to destroy the ability of the Jade Falcons and Vipers to make war, probably for all time.

Victor whistled softly… "Dad, keep going…you have our attention."

Hanse Adrian Davion smiled. But it was not a mirthful smile. It was one that promised terrible, awful things to come for those who had dared to hurt, and enslave his people. _I dedicated my life to defending the people of the Federated Suns, and later the Commonwealth, as first a soldier, then a ruler. The Kuritans, the Capellans, I understood, but even they, they are not what the Clans are. They are a threat to our very humanity. No..this time, we finish this._ What no one knew is that Hanse had seen footage taken by MIIO, LIC and DMI operatives of the Jade Falcons engaging in "thamzing". Hanse had launched a war once on a moral point..there had also been practical ones..but he had never forgiven the Liaos, or their brood, not for what they had done to his double. But now, this, this was a cancer, that needed to be cut out.

And cut out it would be.

 _I remember the temperature dropped ten degrees after Hanse began to smile. I hadn't seen that smile on his face since the first wave of Operation RAT. I knew that the Jade Falcons and Steel Vipers were about to have a very bad day. The average age of the Clan warrior class was 25, and learning from their past did not seem to be their strong suit...Clan Loremasters and their "Remembrance" not withstanding...They say the best teacher is the enemy. I got the feeling we were about to teach what we had learned to the Falcons, in spades._

 _Hanse had picked one hell of a hobby for his retirement._

 ** _Ardan Sortek, "Reflections of a Soldier", New Avalon Press, 3071_**


	3. Secrets

_June 18th, 3054  
Offices of the First Prince Emeritus  
Castle Davion  
New Avalon  
Federated Commonwealth_

Spring had finally come to New Avalon, and the day had been nothing short of gorgeous. Hanse had asked the palace staff to leave the windows open while he was awake, as the breeze had simply been refreshing, reminiscent of such breezes from his youth when New Avalon entered spring. _Who knew how many springs I still have?_ _Hell, after I drop this little bomb on my guest, his answer may save or doom us, but we need him..dammit. But I hate putting the potential future of the Commonwealth in the hands of someone like him._

The wargames to test the plan had begun in earnest, and there had been a few flaws found in the plan. The main one was one that Hanse had expected would be found- transportation. There just wasn't enough transport assets to move the forces required, let alone keep them supplied for when everything kicked off. But there wasn't any source to get Jumpships from…or at least there was..until an offer came from left field..one Hanse had certainly not been expecting.

Quintus had been approached by someone purporting to be a personal representative of the Precentor Martial himself. Hanse did not know what to make of it, but figured why not meet with the Precentor, the worst he could say was no. _Yeah, I know, Victor SHOULD be doing this, but my unique position allows him to disavow me as a "crazy old man". If things go wrong..._

There was a sharp rap at the door, it was a series of staccato bangs, like rifle fire. I guess the sound is appropriate. "Enter!" Hanse bellowed.

The door opened to reveal a withered figure cloaked in a white robe marked with the golden sigil of ComStar. His bespectacled eyes burned with a warrior's fire, and his visage was unmistakable as the victor of Tukayyid. "Victor of the Clans", Anastasius Focht.

Hanse smiled a seemingly genuine smile, one he knew was not going to fool his guest, but certain social graces had to be maintained. "Precentor Martial, I am sorry for the short time allowed to answer my request for a visit, but circumstances did not allow for more warning."

"Spare me your pleasantries, Hanse Davion. Did you know there is a saying in the Capellan Confederation? 'Beware of smiling Davions.' So, Prince Davion, it seems you have a little plan to take the war to the Clans, one that is at the least, quite ambitious." Focht's tone and smile betrayed more mirth than the statement suggested.

 _Dammit, how in the hell did he know that? I see ROM has its usual impeccable sources...time to go on the offensive I suppose._

"Precentor Marital, I will not deny there is the planning for such an operation. Where you found out, has me at a loss. I suppose ROM is as good as ever." Hanse smiled.

Focht straightened his robes. "Prince Davion, I know you know who I really am, and I appreciate your family's discretion. You do understand this is exactly the kind of thing that is going to make the truce a dead letter?"

Hanse Davion looked Focht in the eye. "Do you trust all the Clans to keep the truce forever?"

Focht shrugged. "If it were simply up to Ulric Kerensky, yes. But it isn't. Somebody on the Clan side will break the truce sooner rather than later, and you are correct to hit first. As much as it pains me to say it."

Hanse knew that all this had done was put Focht on the defensive. But he was a warrior, and if Hanse did not act quickly, he would act to retake the initiative in this argument. Best to end this quickly. Hanse reached into a non-descript AFFS mapcase, it had been his own for many, many years during his time with the 3rd Guards. He deftly produced two blue manila folders. One had the words "Clover Spear- Target List" stamped on it and the other had "Clover Spear- Transport Requirements" stamped on it. Both were also stamped "Most Secret" with a sticker reminding everyone what the penalties for revealing the contents to anyone not cleared to know them were.

Focht took one folder and read through it, then the other...he grunted as he read, and smiled at parts of what he read, lines of mirth creasing his craggy face. He then put down the folder and smiled "Hanse Davion, if you ever want to get the hell out of this gilded cage, I have a job offer waiting."

"I would...except my wife would track me down...and put me in a real cage...and we both know it."

Both men shared a laugh that lasted until Hanse had a minor coughing fit.

Hanse Davion began "I require the use of ComStar's transportation network for a year, as much of it as you can spare, without shorting your other obligations. Or more correctly, the Federated Commonwealth does."

"And why am I not meeting with Victor, why instead do I meet with you? Are you telling me you don't trust your own son and heir?"

"On the contrary, I do. But he plays by the new rules, I don't, and neither did you. I wanted to get the measure of you, Frederick Steiner, have you turned over a new leaf? Are you a new man?" Hanse asked, with a cocked eyebrow.

Focht shook his head, "None has called me by that name in 25 years. I hope you know I no longer covet the throne. I had that burned out of me on Dromini VI, Your mother in law left me to die. I assured her I wasn't coming back, I was not going to be a party to craven murder. But as it was, I was fortunate that I got off as lucky as I did. I vowed never to get into politics again. As you can see, it almost killed me. But I see even though I leave politics, it does not leave me. You will get my cooperation, and the Primus's, for your jumpships. I just hope it is enough. All I ask are two things."

"They are?" Hanse queried

"First, you allow me to send limited numbers of ComStar personnel with the invasion forces to get the HPGs up and running again. I promise, no ROM, and no 'Mechs. Second, you finish the damn job." Focht said with an edge.

Hanse smiled a dangerous smile "Agreed to the first point, as for the second, we must win, Precentor Martial, or we are all done for, all of us, for the Clans do not strike me as a merciful people, Precentor Martial. And with that," as Hanse rose and motioned towards the door "have a nice trip back to Terra. May I suggest you try Kepperings while on New Avalon before you go? They have an excellent surf and turf meal."

Focht made as to leave, but turned and looked at Hanse Davion, his eyes bored into him "You are going to die like you lived, Hanse Davion. Your death will be as the result of politics. It would be a shame for you to end up like that..but retirement, she doesn't suit you. Ask Victor to give you a damn job, you old fool!"

"No, Focht, no, I cannot do that and you know why. I made a promise to Melissa. Whatever happens after this, I hang up the spurs." Hanse said evenly.

Focht shook his head angrily. "Hanse Adrian Davion. Your one true destiny is that of a soldier. Your son is one as well. Politics only suits you insofar as you had to use it. I look forward to your humbling of the Jade Falcons."

Focht left with a twirl of his robes and a martial stomp in his step _. He still stomps off like Frederick did..hasn't changed a damn bit._

Hanse sat down on the couch in his office with a thump _. That little exchange had been pleasant, but tiring. But it was necessary. He was not going to leave the Clans to be his son's problem. I am sure Victor could handle it, of that I have no doubt, he has matured a lot since becoming First Prince, but he has a blind spot when it comes to the Capellans, filial piety will be my son's undoing._

His reverie was interrupted by another knock at the door "Your highness, you daughter Katherine is here, she isn't on the calendar, but-"

"My daughter needs to be on some calendar? Are you mad, let her in."

 _Sometimes, I wonder about my staff, I think they edit my visitation requests so as not to 'upset' me._ Hanse exhaled in mild frustration. At this rate, it was probably likely they would give him a heart attack through the sheer minor frustrations they were putting him through.

"Let her in, for god's sake she is my daughter! And never bar family members again!"

"Yes, your highness!"

Katherine entered Hanse's office with a quizzical look on her porcelain face. She took after he mother, with fine, Germanic features topped with long blond hair she kept medium length, though, unlike her mother and father, her hair was curly, _she may get that from her uncle Ian_. Hanse mused. She had the blond eyes of both the Davions and the Steiners, but unlike most of them, hers had pronounced gold flecks. Her red, white and blue sundress, inspired by the colors of the Davion Guards, whom she had just returned from visiting (and had turned down more than a few ribald marriage proposals from), billowed in the evening breeze.

"Father, I amost got run down by Anastasius Focht and his entourage, and he looked like Aunt Yvonne when she has a plan on her mind, are we going to be interdicted again?"

Hanse laughed, "No Katherine, my dear, it seems the Precentor Martial and I had a meeting and came to understand a great many things…all of them good."

Katherine shook her head "Dad, your heart, you can't keep acting like you're First Prince, or a 'Mechwarrior anymore. I worry about you, and this may sound selfish, but I need my dad to give me away at my wedding." Katherine stated with mock forcefulness, she wasn't really angry at her father, as she had always been a bit of a "daddy's girl".

It had been her father that had noticed the early signs of Dombrowski A in his daughter, and the road had been hard, and long, with many long hours of treatment at NAIS, but it had left Katherine a bit shy and unable to relate to people easily. She was now coming out of her shell, but it was a painful process. Her "time" in the AFFC was working in a PIO shop here on New Avalon, and she had done well, even giving a few briefings, where a beaming Hanse had proclaimed "that's my girl" to a crowd of slightly bemused members of the media. Hanse loved all of his children fiercely, but he was closest to his two oldest.

"Dammit Katherine, this is a guilded cage, I know it's well meant, but now that I have something to do, it feels wonderful."

"If it doesn't kill you? And incidentally, shouldn't you have left this to Victor? You did give him the keys to the kingdom a while ago?" Katherine intoned, her tone expressing not a little bit of concern.

Hanse chuckled "I hear you, and obey, my daughter, but I had my reasons, now, what is this I hear about walking you down the aisle and marriage? Is there a young man I need to have DMI scare the hell out of? Not like I can do that sort of thing anymore."

Katherine groaned "Um, dad, that dance at NAIS, it was real fun you making a show of showing my date your Battlemaster…and what it did to unarmored infantrymen…"

"Noone breaks my little girl's heart…whatever happened to him, anyhow? I liked him."

"He enlisted, we broke up, he's on the Clan front somewhere as an Aerospace pilot."

"So…back to the question, my daughter..who has got you talking to me in hypotheticals about your nuptuals…it isn't like your dear brother is in a hurry." Hanse shook his head at that last thought, _Victor must marry once I do pass on, and the Commonwealth cannot be without a secure future, not for a moment!  
_  
"Well, I noticed him…not sure he notices me…his initials are…G and C." Katherine's smile was electric, and could melt hearts at 100 meters. The trouble was, the after effects of the treatment had left her not smiling very often. Hence the small talk. Hanse had made it a point to always get Katherine to loosen up around him, and everyone else _. Formality may have its uses, but social lubricant is not one of them_.

"Katherine, first, sit down, you make me nervous when you stand and talk to me, and any minute now, I think you're going to begin to pace again."

Katherine sat down in a very precise and lady-like manner. She smiled at her father and took his hand in hers as they sat across from her, him on the couch, and her in an overstuffed settee, "Dad, you know I'm probably going to get married before Victor ever will. First, he is married to his job…and second? He is pining after the one girl he can't have. "

 _Omi Kurita…Jesus, can it ever be more of a cosmic joke that my firstborn son falls in love with the daughter of the mortal enemy of the Commonwealth…though with the Clans, the Combine has taken more than a few steps back in that department..Still…_

"Dare I ask, but have you tried fixing your brother up?"

Katherine rolled her eyes "Mom has, I have, Galen has, Kai has..It's been a bit of a fiasco. And now, now with that plan of yours, he has been putting 10-12 hour days because he wants to validate the plan."

Hanse smiled a thin smile of pride warring with concern. "Katherine, sadly, he gets that from me. I agree with the idea, but do me a favor? Make sure he eats and takes care of himself. That kind of thing is what had my ticker give out."

"Received and understood, Dad, I have got half the palace working for me keeping Victor human…or human-ish... Dad, not to switch the subject, but you know we still haven't found a way around the jumpship issue? The troop movements across the Commonwealth and supporting logistics are well, ruinous to the economy with the Jumpship numbers. We'll be in a full-blown depression inside of a year."

Hanse produced a device from his pocket, and smiled as he thumbed it on, and placed it on a nearby coffee table. "Katherine, what I am about to tell you, does not leave this room. It has to do with my meeting with the Precentor Martial, and why I met with him instead of Victor. And why I need you to tell your brother."

Katherine looked on quizzically. "Um, Dad, does this have anything to do with the Precentor Martial storming out of here like an _Atlas_ on fire?"

Hanse nodded "It does, we have secured the use of some of ComStar's Jumpship fleet for a year. Focht is probably in a hurry to cut the appropriate orders at the New Avalon HPG."

Katherine's face lit up. "Dad, they will be just enough to keep the economy running, but why am I the one to tell Victor?"

Hanse tapped Katherine's knee, "Because sweetheart, Victor never really knew firsthand what it is like to deal with the old ComStar. I did. Yes, what I did can be seen as undercutting his authority. It will not occur again. I just wanted to make sure I got the measure of the man- "

"-and make sure he didn't take big brother for a ride." Katherine finished.

"Precisely, I am sure of Focht now, and I think he and Mori will turn ComStar around. Will certain parties give him the time? I doubt it. But you need to do something. You know my favorite mapcase?"

Katherine nodded.

"There is a folder there with a list of our remaining intelligence assets in the Free Worlds League, if things begin to go south for ComStar, I want Victor to have a list of those assets at his fingertips and not have to ask the Intelligence Secretariat to pull the information. It will take valuable time he will not have. I am sure Victor will know what orders to give..but I want you to hold on to that folder. Just in case."

Katherine smiled "Just in case we have to start potting Blakists from rooftops?"

Hanse nodded.

"Consider it done, Daddy. He always protected me when we were younger, even when I did not deserve it…especially when I didn't. I can have his back for this.

Hanse's heart broke at that last statement, _Katherine, my beloved daughter. You always deserved better. The illness, it was not your fault. You paid a high price for your mental health. The occasional crying fits that surface today, the insomnia, and the two years of seizures. And above all, the painful shyness. Oh my daughter, I do hope the cure was worth it. Now, now I start another war to make sure you have a future better than the one I had. Maybe a peaceful one, dare I hope._

_  
 _..Whatever my differences between my brother and I, I always loved him for being that big brother who protected me growing up, and was there during the worst of the Dombrowski A treatment. I remember after one bad day at NAIS when I had passed out during the electroshock, Mom was screaming at Dad, and Dad sat and took it..they both loved me, and both were angry, in their own way at what fate had thrown at their eldest daughter. Mom lost her temper, in one of the few times I have ever seen her do it..Dad, dad, was stoic, and was a statue when Mom began to pound him with her fists…and that's when I heard Victor come into the room, and say to both of them "Stop it, Katherine can hear, and she needs us." I was never more proud of my big brother._

 _So, when Dad and I had that talk that fateful day of June, 3054, I realized I had to be the little sister he deserved. I had to be strong…_

 **It's Not All Fairy Tales – The Life and Times of a Cracked Princess, by Katherine Cox-Steiner Davion, Tharkad Press, Tharkad, 3084**


	4. The Chancellor's Court

_October 8th, 3054_

 _Celestial Palace_

 _Forbidden City_

 _Sian_

 _Capellan Confederation_

Sun-Tsu Liao was not in the best of moods, _Getting anyone to do a damn thing around here without screwing it up is becoming difficult. And I am not my mother, so shooting them in job lots is out._

He re-read the reports recently presented by an official of the Ministry of Development. He had delivered his report with a nervous hilt in his voice, constantly tensing every time Sun-Tsu moved. _My mother has done a lot of damage here, it seems "hopeless battle syndrome" can be found in the civilian bureaucracy as well._ Even with the increased aid from his father in law's "mysterious" benefactors, _..whom I know to be the Word of Blake. SAFE's attempts to cover this up was clumsy, and as usual,_ the report's findings were grim. Malnutrition and disease were stalking the worlds near the Periphery like the Christian angels of death. Millions had died on New Roland, Gunthar, and Ward. _And it was only going to get worse._

The root casue of the humanitarian disaster was that the Capellan Confederation had been beaten badly in the 4th War. Losing most of Tikonov and Sarna had not just impacted the military production base, which had just now begun to recover, but the civilian economy, which was absolutely smashed flat with the loss of so much of the Confederation's prosperity. The worlds on the Periphery border, always a little close to the margin, were pushed over, and in at least one case, on Hurik, the government had collapsed last year, necessitating Sun-Tsu to send in the Nightrider Regiment from McCarron's Armored Cavalry to restore order.

 _It had been a bloody business, the Maskirovka "processed" some 30,000 "former citizens" for rebellion. Who knew how many servitors were among that number. Nobody bothered counting them. That was too reminiscent of my mother. Perhaps I made a mistake putting Kali in charge of that. Who knew she was a 21 year old sociopath? She is yet another problem I will have to deal with._ He made sure to mentally note that idea, it was best it be done at a time where he needed a _casus belli._ He would order the Death Commandos to perform the deed, and make sure Davion got the blame. _Regrettably, that is a part of the family tree that needs to be pruned, before it hurts the state any more than it already has._

A gong interrupted Sun-Tsu's reverie, much to his minor annoyance. A junior courtier walked deliberately to the center of the throne room, and bowed deeply on one knee. _"_ Celestial Wisdom, the briefers from the Ministry of Defense and the Maskirovka request permission to enter the throne room and inform your Excellency as to our efforts to defend the state and confound the Davion dogs!"

Sun-Tsu simply grunted his ascent. _A few more briefings, and then I can get to what really needs getting to, as well as find my problematic wife…and convince her that it is our duty to produce a few heirs for the continuance of the Liao line! What was I thinking marrying a Marik? That had caused a bit of an issue on Pella II. Happily, the Maskirovka took care of that lot more quietly, only a half-dozen dead. Not to mention the dozens of nobles that have caused me nothing but grief about her. She is another branch that might need some pruning._

The usual teams of briefers entered the throne room, which was immediately cleared of all of the courtiers and hangers on, and the double doors sealed, with the air filling with an electronic hum of a white noise generator. The briefers were relatively junior level, and had at least one or more war wounds. This was tradition, and it was meant to be two-fold. The first aspect was to remind the sitting Chancellor of the price of war…and more importantly, the price of getting it wrong. _The tradition was only interfered with in my grandfather's day. By my grandfather himself. I know it is poor form to speak ill of the dead, but the state has prospered since my Grandfather's "suicide"._ A suicide he knew his mother had everything to do with.

And that lead to the second tradition. Many Capellan Chancellors had had taken "shooting the messenger" to an art form. If the Chancellor decided to eliminate the current briefing team…they could be easily replaced. His mother had been one of the worst offenders. _I am still writing pardon scrolls to clean up some of her messes…some of the men and women she condemned to Brazen Heart were doing nothing more than their duty to the state. I must therefore, make it up to the survivors._

Sun-Tsu was beginning to remind himself of a commercial he had seen from his youth. It was for a kitchen mop that was supposedly made from the same material as moisture absorption systems from Battlemech Heat Sinks. The pitch man was loud, and obnoxious, and had he been a Capellan citizen, would have been executed by his mother for starting one of her "migranes". As it was, he was a Canopean citizen and the commercial was broadcasting on Capellan entertainment networks announcing the arrival of the product in Capellan markets. But he was the Sham-Now, and there was just so much blood to clean up…and only one mop to do it.

 _And the laughter of my mother in my head does not help._ Sun-Tsu mused.

The briefing had been droning on with internal rebellions being crushed here, an occasional pirate raid there, the briefers always saved the most distressing news for last. It increased their potential life expectancy. Sun-Tsu braced himself for the worst, he had been getting some private reports from Marcus Baxter, CO of McCarron's Armored Cavalry, as well as from Yaquinto Yadi, House Master of House Immara, and by default, leader of the Capellan Warrior House Order. Both had many unofficial links throughout the Inner Sphere, and those links had proven useful to Sun-Tsu for a variety of intelligence data that the Maskirovka had either ignored, or missed. _Why the Director of my own intelligence agency chooses to overlook these things intrigues me. It also perturbs me, but it intrigues me._

It was at that moment, that a statement by one of the military briefers mentioned, a young female Captain. She was tall, with features that suggested a mixed Chinese/Russian ancestry. She had a fire of intelligence and bravery in equal measure in her one good eye, and if not for the facial scarring, would have been considered pretty. There was no questioning her bravery, she proudly wore the Grand Cordon of Merit proudly on the breast of her uniform. "Celestial Wisdom, the most important part of the briefing is the movement of some 10 RCTs and another 5 unaffiliated regiments have moved from their base worlds in the Federated Suns State Command to unknown destinations, we suspect movements towards Lyran space."

Sun-Tsu's face hardened. "How have you come by the information? Captain? Could this be another Davion trick to precede them finishing what their Operation RAT began?"

"No, your Celestial Wisdom. Sources and Methods have confirmed the jump paths from the base worlds. We are not 100% sure where they are headed, but the signatures suggest directions towards Lyran space."

 _Could be anything from reports from allied flag merchants, to Mask agents in place, to some Zhuang-de-Guang guerilla with a telescope, and a means to get the information out. Still, the quality of the information is maddening._ "And what, Captain, if I were to ask you to stake your life on this information? Would you?"

"I have done so for the Confederation before, Celestial Wisdom. What would one more time be?"

Sun-Tsu smiled. "I like you, _Major._ You are smart and brave in equal measure. And I admire that. It is a pity more Citizens of the Capellan State lack your moral courage." He then in one fluid motion drew a small automatic pistol and shot the head of the Maskirovka briefing team in the head. The report startled the palace guards, and reverberated across the walls for moments afterwards. The team leader's almond colored head snapped back, a rooster tail of blood streaming from the exit wound in the back of his skull as he collapsed to the floor like a puppet with his strings cut. The body slammed into the floor with a THUD. The smell of gunpowder was heavy, and fragrant as a wisp of smoke curled from the short barrel of the small pistol in the Chancellor's hand.

Sun-Tsu surveyed the room, noting fear in the eyes in all but one, the newly minted Major. _I like her. She is Capellan In thought, in deed, and in spirit._

"The failure you see before you is an example of the failure of the Chancellors that came before me. This man was promoted far beyond his station..or his competence." Sun-Tsu hissed, acid dripping from his words "He was a favorite of my mother, and her consort. I play no such favorites. You must _earn_ my favor, or you will end up like that refuse on the floor. I will reward competence, character, loyalty to the state, cunning, bravery, and above all, honesty. Respectful disagreement will be encouraged. Lack of respect, or worse, incompetence and acting like a fawning sycophant, will not."

"Major, what is your name, and your former regiment?"

"I was a member of the Sung's Cuirassiers, Celestial Wisdom. My company was shattered by a Davion battalion during a raid, but we made them pay for our lives! I got four of the dogs before I was shot out of my _Cataphract_ and was badly injured during my ejection. I was brought into staff work at the Ministry after being discharged from the hospital here on Sian. My superior at the Ministry noticed I had a knack for intelligence analysis."

Sun-Tsu smiled again, "You do, inform your superior you are now attached to the palace staff as a personal advisor, and about your promotion. Also inform him he is to be promoted as well. I will let the Ministry work out the details. Were there any survivors of your company, Major?"

"Regrettably, no, Celestial Wisdom. They all died in service to the state," the Major seemed regretful at that last question. She struck Sun-Tsu as the type of commander who had cared for her people, and their deaths, and her own disability was a measure of shame for her.

Sun-Tsu stepped down off the throne, and strode over to the Major, placing one of his long, carbon-fibre reinforced nails gently under her chin, lifting it until her eye met his. "Major, I allow you a special privilege, as my adviser, I order you, except when rendering courtesies, to always look me in the eye. Because I need a clear-eyed teller of the truth to navigate the Capellan State. You see what I have to work with here…What is your name, Major?" as he swept his hand across the remains of the shocked Mask team.

"Shang, Alexa Shang, Celestial Wisdom."

"Very well, Major Shang. I look forward to our time together. I believe it will be more than productive." Sun-Tsu then snapped his fingers and a palace Servitor appeared as if by magic. "Move Major Shang into the guest quarters, and ensure that her office is ready by tomorrow. She will be treated well, and ensure that her background check is expedited by the Maskirovka. And summon my Senior Colonels, I think we need to reevaluate what can be done with this information."

The servitor meekly replied "Yes, Celestial Wisdom".

Sun-Tsu Liao returned to his throne as the briefing teams bowed and made to leave. He waved them onward. Major Shang stood off to one side, her face wan, as she took it all in with grace.

"So tell me, Major. Do you think with our new alliance with the Mariks, that we are strong enough to deal Victor Davion the blow he deserves?"

"No, Celestial Wisdom. The AFFC is strong enough to hold us off, but not strong enough to invade us. We would be bogged down in a conflict that would soon come to resemble the 3rd Succession War. But, I think these recent troop movements give us an opportunity, as you said. But I think it will depend on whether or not we can enlist the aid of the Captain General."

Sun-Tsu nodded. "You are correct. We must find a way to ensure that he has no choice but to participate. Were we to strike, Major, where would you do so?"

"It would depend upon the goal of the offensive, Celestial Wisdom, but I think it would be best to keep our own objectives limited, and doable. Overreach could be our destruction." Shang said flatly.

"I concur, Major. This is why I want you when I speak with my Senior Colonels. Some, like Zahn and Rush, are wise men, skilled in the ways of war. Some, well, it is best to say that their zeal to serve the Capellan state outweighs their good sense."

 _Sun-Tsu Liao was unlike most of the Chancellors in our then-recent history. He was mercurial, to be sure, but he was wise, and sane, unlike his mother, and grandfather before him. The policy reforms in Capellan life that he has instituted since the war are sure to make him revered in the same breath as IIse Liao. It is not a comparison I make lightly. He has been a fresh air for the Capellan people. The fact that OPERATION EAST SEA almost worked was a testament to his cunning, patience, and intelligence. As it was, we taught the Davion to fear us again. It was a heady feeling, to get our respect back._

 _I wish I could say the same for our allies…or even for some of the Chancellor's closest advisers._

" **My Years with the Chancellor", Alexa Shang, Colonel, CCAF (Ret), Loyalty Press, Sian, 3075**


	5. Interlude- Gathering Forces

**Taken from "Falcon and Viper meet the Anvil: An Anatomy of the '56 War" (Victory Press, Robinson, 3081) by Prof. Richard Kingman (Kommandant, AFFC Ret.)**

"..Contrary to popular belief at the time, Hanse Davion did understand his enemy far better than anyone had given him credit. Many who knew him knew two things about him. One, that he was a man who studied his enemies thoroughly, and the Clans were no exception, and two, he was a man who knew how to take a calculated risk and push it to the limit.

But what made the Clans so vulnerable, was something they had done to themselves, they had become hidebound in the name of ideological purity. Even the "Warden" political faction was to a measure, hidebound in its military doctrine and as such, was unable to cope with what the AFFC had brought to bear, especially as the AFFC invested a lot of money and time over the intervening two years to train multiple RCTs along the Clan front in a variety of firepower intensive doctrines, especially those utilizing artillery on a scale not seen before in the Inner Sphere.

There was an expansion in the number of gun tubes in the average RCT, with those along the frontier being converted to a artillery brigade of two gun regiments each, along with a battalion of Arrow IV equipped 'Mechs. More of these Brigades were created as independent units designed to support collections of Free Regiments, as well as mercenary units. These Artillery Brigades worked hand in hand with the scouting elements of the RCT, be it LRRPs, Light 'Mechs, or reconnisance vehicle elements. In short, the light elements, along with an increased use of RPVs were there to find targets, for these new concentrations of guns.

Moreover, a new family of semi-automatic mortars were installed the battalion level in platoon strength (4 tubes) in Armored and Mechanized Infantry units, There was some talk of installing them in 'Mech units as well, as it was felt the mortars could neither a) keep up with the 'Mechs in the unit, and b) the maintenance and logistical concerns of having vehicles and 'Mechs in the same battalion, however, it was decided to have a battery of the weapons installed at the Regimental Level in all arms, and 'Mech unit commanders began to value having the "hip pocket artillery", especially for the way it could speedily lay down the new thermal smoke rounds that were promised to even interfere with the vaunted Clan-tech thermal imaging systems.

New doctrinal changes came about, where AFFC commanders were encouraged to use recon assets aggressively to find enemy unit boundaries, or weakly held parts of the enemy line in any kind of terrain. The idea was to smash these parts of the Clan line with sheer numbers, and then encircle the Clan units, and forcing them to fight an attritional battle of annihilation. AFFC units were told to expect fierce Clan counterattacks at every level, as it was expected that the Falcons and Vipers, once they realized they had been sucked into just such a fight, would seek to either a) break out to resume the kind of long range mobile battle that suited them, or b) would throw themselves at the obviously numerically superior FC forces in an "death ride" to achieve as honorable a death as possible. Furthermore, AFFC units were trained to use night, and close terrain to their advantage, so as to seek a close-range assault that would negate the Clan range advantage.

Taking and holding the initiative was paramount, and the AFFC pounded the idea into their commanders, one that had been stressed in the AFFC for a long time- "Get the initiative and never let go of it." Airmobile tactics were stressed as well, as it was thought that due to the low speed of Elementals, putting infantry units with heavy weapons into the Clan rear in battalion strength was a means to disrupt the ability of the Clans to form a coherent defense. (This last idea, as we will see, was more miss than hit during the '56 War, and it needed massive refinement, but it did become a coherent part of AFFC tactical and operational doctrine that survives today)."

From "Deception Operations in the Capellan and Sarna Marches during the Buildup to Clover Spear" – written by Hauptmann-General Arnold Haugen, for the Military Intelligence Review, Fall '71 issue, Published by the AFFC Department of Information, New Avalon)

"..I was a young Kommandant when we briefed the plan to move a number of RCTs and Free Regiments from the Capellan and Sarna 'Marches in early '54. Memory doesn't serve the exact time and date, but I know it was still winter on Monhegan where the meeting took place. We knew the deception would not last forever, especially with the Maskirovka keeping pretty close tabs along the border, but we had to get those troops to the Clan front.

Simply put, we were going to take a page from RAT, and make the deployments sound like routine rotations to the Clan front. MIIO and DMI had put together some really great deception packages for the media, and we banned the press from covering most of the troop movements, but not all. We knew things would get especially dicey when the dependents for most of the units were asking why they had not rotated to the Lyran Commonwealth along with their loved ones, telling them the Clan front was no place for families was one way we got around that, but again, it only worked until mid-'55. We had our hands full making it look like less units had left than actually had.

We had small radio-technical units ranging the border with the Capellans and Mariks imitating the units that, had in fact, departed. We found out later, we did fool SAFE, but not the Maskriovka, at least, not forever. We don't know how the leak happened, but by late 3054, sources inside MIIO had stated that the Capellans knew we had moved at least part of the forces slated for Clover Spear into the Lyran State Command. We could only pray the Dragoons could keep up their end of the deception, making the Capellans think that three of their regiments were still on Outreach, instead of all of them heading for the border of the Jade Falcon OZ.

Naturally, when the Capellans found out the truth? All hell broke loose."

 **The Private Memoirs of Shao Lao-Tse, Senior Colonel, CCAF (Ret)**

"..EAST SEA was to be fair to the Chancellor, a tricky endeavor from the start. The Davion presence along the border had always been strong, and even with the Clans, they had covered our lost territories very well indeed. Thus, East Sea has remained firmly a contingency plan, with the barest of effort put into it, not to mention, we at the Ministry of Defense realized. The CCAF hadn't launched a sustained offensive against anyone since 2412. To say there was no institutional memory on how to do such a thing..was…an understatement."

"Most of our offensive plans at the time consisted of us going into the rebel province [the then official Capellan name of the St. Ives Compact] in case their government collapsed, or the AFFC pulled out, but neither was seen as very likely, we had several variants of plans for that, all under the name of LONG MARCH. So, it was rather shocking when I was at the weekly meeting with the sovereign during the usual weekly state of the CCAF briefing, that the Chancellor asked the now, well known question:

"Ruhe Zhumbei Shi Wo De Mao?" – How ready are my spears?

We were all struck dumb. Even with Marik help, we didn't think we had a ghost of a chance to pull anything like EAST SEA off. But then, those sorcerers at the Military Intelligence section had gotten to the Chancellor..we all thought they had talked him into an ill-advised war…and there were some, I am sure, who were worried we had another Maximillian on our hands..but then, that Shang woman of his. I never liked her..she was too ambitious for her own good. But she had good information this time…it seems Wolf's Dragoons had left Outreach.

I never forgot the terrible smile of that Shang woman, it didn't last. Not after Sarna."

 **"Blood of a Partisan- The Story of a Partisan against the Clans" (Franks, John, Albermale Press, Koniz, 3077)**

"..I will never forget when the first Rabid Foxes showed up on Winfield. We had had a lonely war, and it was getting harder to bring people over to our side. We'd had a couple of raids go bad, and that traitor: That so-called "Star Colonel" Mark..he was making weekly statements on the Planetary medianet, telling us to accept the "New Tomorrow", like he had. Bastard.

We did our best to kill him…twice, and missed both times. We did get his sister when she visited on a "goodwill tour". Hey, it sent a message, right? The trouble was, the ones the Falcons sent was worse. They wiped out a small mining town in the mountains by the name of Happy Days..killed everyone, even the kids. They called it "the price of resisting our betters." You can imagine what we thought of that. Two weeks later, we put a LAW rocket into one of the "Falcon Friendship Centers" in downtown Winfield City, and killed half a dozen of the tanker bastards…especially when we paid the fire department a visit, and told them in no uncertain terms…not to show up.

But that didn't deter the Falcons, no, they murdered one hundred hostages..and did it in full view of the cameras. We felt low by then. There was maybe a half dozen of us left, we had little food, little ammunition, and no real hope. The last time we had seen the FedCom was when a 'Merc outfit had tried to raid one of the outlying Falcon detachments…and walked into an ambush. Many of us were ready to fade back into the woodwork, and make the best of it..when fate intervened.

We had heard a dropship pass over our camp, low, from east to west, and were wondering what it was all about. We were worried that the Falcons had found us, and were hot dropping Toads on us to finish us off, but when we looked up, we saw tiny black parachutes against the inky twilight sky. We realized one thing: Toads didn't use parachutes.

The old man quickly established a marching order, and we briefed a quick hasty ambush at a site we knew well, one we had ambushed some of the collabo (collaborationist) militia a couple times before, before the Falcons disbanded them due to their (I think in some cases, deliberate) incompetence.

We set out for the ambush site at a near run. We had learned to move quietly, like holes in the oncoming night, One thing the Falcons did admit about us, and it spooked the hell out of them..We were not usually seen unless we wanted to be seen. And that night, we definitely were not seen.

It took us about half an hour for us to reach the ambush site, and for us to set up, I remember quietly chambering a round into my cone rifle, and praying the click of the selector lever being moved to FIRE didn't give me away. As it was, we needn't have bothered.

I will say one thing about the Rabid Foxes, they are some really sneaky bastards. Before I knew it, I had been tased, disarmed, and trussed up like many a deer I had taken from these hills. And what were these Davions doing…Grinning. That's right..not even a peep of laughter. Not a speck of light..We could tell only by their grins where they were. They were the whitest thing around.

They dragged the Old Man into a nearby tent, and they had him for a while. He told us later that they knew everything about him, and had grilled him hard to make sure he was whom he said he was. Meanwhile, they kept us tied up for what seemed like an hour.

They were wiry men and women, you could tell that even under all the gear and uniform. Their eyes, though, the eyes were like sharks. Everything they looked at was a look of "How do I destroy this?" Once they were satisfied we were who we said we were, they untied us, but kept us disarmed. They sent out a man who spoke pretty flawless Steiner German. I will never forget what he said:

"Ladies and Gentlemen, playtime is over, It is time for Falcon and Viper season."

I will be damned if before long, we all weren't aping their grins. Their quiet confidence was pretty infectious, and they were right..the next year was very, very interesting indeed."


	6. New Years, New Beginnings

_January 1st, 3055_

 _Royal Palace_

 _The Triad_

 _Tharkad_

 _Federated Commonwealth_

Victor Ian Steiner-Davion looked out at a festive Tharkad, which was choosing all sorts of ways to ring in the New Year. Mother Nature was cooperative in bringing in an exceptionally mild bit of weather that had allowed a multitude of outdoor revelries. _Some of them I am sure are going to keep the local constabulary busy, but what the hell, it is New Year's._

Tharkad's City's extensive skyline lit up in a riot of color as the annual fireworks display began, precisely at 0002 hours. The odd starting time was tradition, when the first colonists on Tharkad celebrated New Year's, the display had begun two minutes late for reasons that were lost to history. Theories abounded. Victor himself liked the theory that they had just started late because they wanted to be different. _Why not, they wanted a new start, and new traditions are a way to break from the old? So, is that what the Clans really amount to?_

That particular thought had Victor shaking his head. He drew his issue AFFC greatcoat closer as he stood out on the Grand Balcony, the main square was empty, as the Royal Family, also by tradition, after the sitting Archon made the traditional speech, sent their younger members of the Royal Family out into the city incognito to join the revelers. It was a tradition that gave the various heads of security responsible for the Archon and their family headaches. _Not to mention occasionally leading to some embarrassing social faux pas that arrived around oh, say September of the New Year_.

Victor smiled at that last thought, while he had been no lothario at the 'Ring, he had his share of liaisons with in some cases, overly willing young ladies. It had gotten so bad, he had found himself engaging in a bit of "noble fiction" and pretending to be a commoner who had gotten admittance to the 'Ring on scholarship. It had improved the quality of the female company markedly.

Victor shook his head at the last thought. _Mom and Dad really, really want me to get married. But how in the hell do you tell them you, like Romeo, have fallen for a girl who just happens to be the daughter of an ancient enemy? I wonder if they happen to know. Who am I kidding? Of course they know. If nothing, the Intelligence Secretariat or my sister has mentioned it to them._

Victor shook his head again, the two sifters of Glengarry '12 he'd had with the officers of the Royal Guard during the ball that had just departed was getting to his head. _I never held my booze well. Thank god I wasn't much of a drinker during my cadet days…_

The real reason Victor was here was twofold. He had arrived in the Lyran half of the Commonwealth to begin what was publically billed as a "goodwill tour" through the Tamar March, to show the people of that part of the Commonwealth, that their rulers had not forgotten them. The trip, was of course, cover for an inspection tour of the units in place defending the border, as well as the units moving into place…not all of whom had been announced…and some of who were pretending to be units they really weren't. Galen was with him, and keeping up a lively correspondence with Katherine. _Those two are headed somewhere serious. Good for them in my opinion. Galen would make a great brother in law._ But, as it was, he was also here to conduct a series of wargames beginning in January using the Nagelring's powerful simulators to test Clover Spear's viability.

Dad once said Operation RAT bet the future of the Federated Suns on a "Pair of Fours". Victor wasn't so sure of that, but he had to admit, the plan was audacious, to say the least. Victor's big worry was that the Clans, as abysmal of an intelligence gathering system as they had, would somehow get wind of what was about to happen. _We've taken every damned precaution, but as someone once said, "it cannot be helped when an angel pees in the touchhole."_

His other worry was the Capellans and Mariks. Even SAFE, who by Clan standards, was dangerously competent as an intelligence agency, was not going to miss the movements of troops through the Sarna March. What he really hoped is the Capellans did not get wind that all of the Dragoon regiments had left Outreach. _That happens, we're sunk. Projections are we will lose a good 1/5th of the Sarna March, and maybe of the Capellan March before we can stop the bastards. I can't even imagine what the damn Mariks will achieve._

It was then that Victor heard the crunch of gravel underneath feet. With memories of Free Skye assassins having once penetrated the palace, not to mention Nekekami during the '39 war, Victor spun on his heel, a hand thrust into the pocket of his great coat, clutching the 10mm Mauser & Gray holdout pistol. _Six rounds isn't much, but it will do till help arrives._

As Victor turned, the dark shape resolved itself into a face he was well-familiar with. It was the face of the first woman he had ever met; his Mother, Archon-Princess Melissa Steiner-Davion.

She wore her 44 years well, her posture not stooped by age as she glided over to the banister where Victor stood. Her hair was mostly blond, but had some whisps of gray, that Melissa refused to dye, no matter what the court beauticians begged her to do. He face was still soft, but with pronounced crow's feet around the eyes, and the Tharkad Fox fur jacket, framed with a pair of jeans and high leather black boots made for a stylish picture that would give even Natasha Kerensky a run for her money. _At least in the fashion department, Mom still hasn't done better than fair-to-middling with Grandma's old Warhammer._

Victor smiled and embraced his mother in a hug, then released her as he went back to his place by the bannister.

"Victor, dear, why in the hell are you standing out here like a hermit and not taking Yvonne out on the town? She has been pestering me where he big brother is. I don't want to tell her he is being an ass and woolgathering out on the Great Balcony."

"Mom…this plan of Dad's, how sure of it are we?"

"So that's what is bothering you? I thought it was you being alone on New Year's and your heart being on Luthien in the possession of a certain young Kurita royal."

Victor shrugged. "There is that too, but it's been 4 years, Mom. I can't keep pining away like this, especially since I haven't gotten any word from her at all since Teniente."

Melissa smiled a knowing smile. "Well then, Victor, today is your lucky day." She produced a sealed envelope, with Victor's name in both Kanji and English. "This arrived by diplomatic pouch from Luthien. The veriagraph has been confirmed..it's from her. And no, other than that, nobody read it. I told them if anyone did, I'd post them to Great X or CMO 26."

Victor chuckled. "Late Christmas, eh?" as he deftly took the letter from his mother, and pocketed it. _I'll read it later, hope it's not 'Victor, I am being forced for reasons of state to marry another.." I will get in my 'Mech and lead the 10th Lyran Guards to Luthien to bust up the wedding! No..no you won't. You'll meekly send flowers and cry in your beer for a few hours, and wish her all happiness._

Melissa then exhaled, "Victor, this plan of his. I know your father, when he was planning for the 4th War or 3039, he was in his element. One of the reasons I love your father is a simple one: He has moral courage in spades, and a work ethic to match. He is also very, very brave. He is a soldier, and a reluctant statesman. But a soldier first and foremost. His work is the destruction of the enemies of the realm. And right now, your father is painting his masterpiece. I know it will work, Victor."

 _I know as well, Mom, but I am already First Prince, and will be Archon-Prince soon. Hopefully, not too soon, but soon. I will not preside over the death of the Commonwealth…Thus, we really have no choice, Clover Spear has to work. But the margin for error is damn thinner than I would like it to be._

"Mom, ok, I trust you, look, just nerves really, whatever happens, this is going to be Dad's last time in the saddle." Victor exhaled

Melissa nodded "Victor, I read the plan, I know your father, I know the people we have in place to run this thing. It will work. Maybe not the way we intend, things will go wrong. They always do in war. This will be no exception. We will be ready. There is something else you must know, come the end of 3056, there will be a new Archon. I am abdicating, like your father. I am tired, Victor, and frankly. I want to spend time with your father. Whatever time he has left. Our marriage wasn't just a political one."

Victor's mouth dropped open in shock "Mom, I thought this, well, could happen, but, really, this soon? At least stay on until after Clover Spear?"

Melissa nodded. "I intend to, but I will not be Archon as of New Year's 3057, Victor. It's time, your father may only have a decade at most, left. And I am jealous of that time, Victor. I love him, and we have both given ourselves to our nations. I think we have earned some time for ourselves."

Victor nodded slowly "I cannot fault your logic. Wow, I didn't expect this, this soon."

Melissa put her hand on Victor's shoulder "Son, I know you can do it. So does your father, and your brothers and sisters. You will do fine."

Victor nodded. "Hmm, enough woolgathering, look, I am going to take a few minutes to change into a suitable disguise and take Yvonne out for a night she will not soon forget. She's 16 now, so there's all kinds of tr-I mean fun we can have."

Melissa smiled, then her face grew serious "Victor, my son, under pain of death, do not take her to Sharkey's! She may be 16, but there are too many handsy 'Ring cadets there right now."

Sharkey's was notorious or famous, depending on your point of view. It had been founded right outside the gates of the Nagelring in 2610, the bar was THE 'Mechwarrior bar on Tharkad and very popular with a lot of the rowdier 'Ring cadets. Basically, if you were any kind of Mechwarrior, Sharkey's was the place to go drink and blow off steam, including getting into fights _…like that little time in 3047…thank god Renny got me out of there in one piece. But yeah, Mom has a point, Yvonne isn't going to be a 'Mechwarrior, and I won't be taking her to that place._

Victor nodded vociferously, "Don't worry Mom, I was thinking some of the student bars by Tharkad U, like Freidmann's or The Drunken Historian.

Melissa smiled "The Drunken Historian is still there? My god, I used to sneak out to that place..your grandmother was less than pleased when she found out..I was 14, I stole my first kiss there, he was a cute Microbiology undergrad if I recall?"

"Mom, don't want to know that, ok?" Victor cringed.

Melissa Steiner-Davion chucked, and her laughter pealed like church bells.

 _Maybe 3055 will be a good year after all?_ Victor wondered

 _Dear Victor-San,_

 _Father has allowed me to write you, so long as it not done though the HPG. I do not think he wants the Black Dragon Society to get wind of the fact we are corresponding. I would say my Father is beginning to "mellow" as you would put it in his old age. It does not matter, however, as I more want to write about us._

 _First, since Outreach, there has been no other, nor will there be. I am yours, Victor-sama. Yours alone. My father will simply have to accept that, though, for now, I have not chosen to tell him. He is concerned with other things, like the ever-present threat of the Clans._

 _As you know, Grandfather passed on last year, the circumstances are a bit personal, and the enmity between your father and he was legendary, but it is my hope that that enmity died with him._

 _My brother asks that I pass on his salutations and greetings in this message. He has come to see you as someone who he would trust with his life, and I did ask him hypothetically how he would feel about you. His response was "You could do a lot worse, Omi-chan."_

 _Sadly, I know this will not be possible. Our giri to our nations trumps our feelings. But I cannot deny my feelings, and we are both smart people, with many who wish us well. Perhaps a way can be found if we do what is expected of us for now, and remain in contact._

 _That said, as you know, I receive briefings from the O5P, and I must warn you. Victor, there is reason to believe that the Capellans know about your troop movements. I do not know to what extent they know, but they know. Father was torn on whether or not to warn you, but after your own father's example during Luthien, he could not fail to warn you. Please share this letter with your parents. Inform them that we will try to get more information to them, but this is all we know for now._

 _There is another matter. Father is making contingency plans in case Luthien were to fall to a subsequent Clan assault. While most of the family is prepared to fight and die on Luthien to the last. Father has made arrangements for some of us to flee to various other places within the realm, but he wishes to ask your father if he would be willing to make a place for me if it becomes necessary to flee the Combine. I am willing to accept whatever conditions your father seeks to impose, and I do hope it does not become necessary._

 _I must go, for now, as giri demands I attend to another matter, but know this, Victor-sama, your heart does not beat alone, or unnoticed._

 _Your Love,_

 _Omi_


	7. On the Other Side of the Hill

_February 6_ _th_ _, 3055_

 _Clan Jade Falcon Watch Office_

 _Hamarr_

 _Sudeten_

 _Jade Falcon Occupation Zone_

Star Captain Horatio gripped his stylus tightly in frustration as he read yet another report put together by a _stravag_ technician who had been hastily trained in the art of intelligence analysis by a mixture of unwilling Federated Commonwealth bondsmen and available manuals. Neither had done much, in Horatio's opinion, to make their reports anything approaching coherent.

 _Or even worth reading, it was all jumping at shadows, maybes, could be, possibly, how does anyone make a decision based on this information? Freebirth!_ Horatio's mind raged.

The trouble was that the information gathering flow was, as one bondsman put it, "like trying to drink water from a firehose." Horatio winced at such a wasteful concept, but it was an apt analogy, he had to concede. _Our ability to collect all kinds of signals intelligence is incredible, and a testament to the watchfulness of the Clan. But, our ability to analyze the information…as well as to make use of it, is doubtful._

The Jade Falcon Watch was like most Clan intelligence agencies, their human intelligence skills were abysmal, but their SIGINT collection was very, very good. But none of it mattered if the ability to analyze the information was as bad as it was, and the fact was, the Watch simply did not have the tools, nor the skills to build a competent intelligence picture for the Clan Council, let along the Khan and saKhan.

Take the current tasking, Horatio had been charged by the Khan himself to find out what had spurred the current uptick in guerilla activities throughout the Occupation Zone, and why now, even the most trustworthy of bondsmen had been found in sympathy with the guerillas

One egregious example was a Inner Sphere bondsman acting as a technician placing a bomb right in the ejection seat of a trinary commander in the 124th Striker Cluster on Malibu…the explosion, while small, was enough to blow the aforementioned Star Captain to small pieces.

The Clan only found out the bondsman had done it after walking into the technician quarters, and killing his Clan-born factor with his bare hands, then hanging himself. Chemical interrogation of his friends and comrades had yielded little, if any useful information. Few subjects had survived the sessions and Horatio suspected that the Elemental who headed up the counter-intelligence section of the Clan Watch was little more than a sadist.

The usual Clan Jade Falcon means of defeating an insurgency was to conduct a number of indoctrination sweeps with 'Mechs and Elementals and grab hostages to be held against the good behavior of the planet in question, but it appeared just about every world in the Occupation Zone had some sort of guerrilla activity. It was forcing the clan to scatter units across the Occupation Zone in an effort to keep the guerrilla problem under control. And it was not working.

Horatio read the dry account of the latest freebirth bandit act, several unidentified individuals in a non-descript black (some witnesses said green) ground car had performed a "drive by" with what appeared to be a belt-fed machine gun fired from the rear of said moving car. They had driven quickly by the outdoor seating area of a restaurant where a Star Commander of the 2nd Falcon Jagers was celebrating his selection for the upcoming Bloodname contest in the Malthus bloodhouse. The machinegun had, according to the report, cut down and killed three members of the Star, as well as 8 other local citizens whom had seen the wisdom of cooperating with the Clan. 18 more, including the aforementioned Star Commander, had been wounded. The car had disappeared, found two hours later having been set aflame with a nearby wall spray painted "Sic Semper Tyrannus –Thus Ever to Tyrants".

It seemed every act of punishment by the Clan's warriors had done little more than enrage the locals and encourage more resistance. And now, now it was worse than ever. There had been assassination attempts on at least two Star Colonels on Sudeten, one was an aide to the Khan himself.

What made it all a lot more ominous was the movement of FedCom troops all across the _ersatz_ Star League creation known as the Federated Commonwealth. It seemed that the FedCom has been busy moving troops around, to the border of the occupation zone, as well as other conflicting reports of other troop movements along the Combine, Capellan, and Marik borders. All of it was simply a massive tidal wave of information that did little but overtax Horatio's staff of ill-trained analysts and barely loyal bondsmen whom he did not trust

 _Stravag, the pain._ His head was pounding again. It was a souvenir of Tukkayid, when his _Summoner_ had had a massive freak ammunition explosion that produced a tidal wave of neurofeedback. According to one of the doctors back in the Cluster aid station, he had been lucky to live through it, but the damage was such that he would never pilot a 'Mech again and he was soon forced out in a Trial of Position…reduced to an ordinary Warrior, who would soon be relegated to solahma status. Horatio downed a couple of pain pills, and then held the desk like a life preserver. _The room has not begun moving yet, thank the Founder._

But Kael Pershaw needed someone who could "think outside the box", and of all the likely candidates, Horatio seemed to fit the bill the best. After an unagumented Trial of Position for the job, it was his…and here he had stayed for the last three years. Barely considered a warrior, let alone an officer of the Clan, there had been whispers of Horatio being little more than the Loremaster's pet, and were Pershaw not around, it would not be long before someone used the cover of a trial to remove a "stain on the Clan's honor".

As the throbbing began to slowly subside, it was still muddy inside Horatio's mind, he could barely think through the implications of the fact that the AFFC had formed 8 new regiments in the last 2 years. Or, at least that is what it seemed like. The pain was rather bad this time..perhaps it was time to call an early end to the work day.

Horatio levered himself upward gingerly, the protuberances of his uniform catching on the battered old desk in the small office, which had been converted from a broom closet in the old City Hall. The Watch had not even been granted offices in the Clan Headquarters, as the Clan Council wanted the stench of "Inner Sphere methods" far from the center of Clan Jade Falcon.

As he made his way to his quarters, little more than ten steps away and through a small door, he thought about when he would get an honorable release from the purgatory he now found himself in. The medication was now taking an effect, slowly luring him into the soporific paradise of sleep on his Clan issue cot, dreams of past glories dancing through his head.

Within minutes, he was dead to the world, and the door slowly opened, a bondsman by the name of Abagail made her way into the Star Captain's office, she wore a dark green jumpsuit, with no adornment as bondsmen were not allowed to wear the sigil of the clan. Her stringy blond hair framed her hollow, sunken hazel eyes that were devoid of any real life. Abagail tidied up and swept a little, being sure to keep the noise down, her failure to do so had once earned her a savage beating from the Star Captain. She always kept her eyes down, and never looked up, in short, she was the perfect bondsman, unnoticed, like part of the furniture, only to be noticed when a task was to be done.

But Star Captain Horatio was a poor spymaster, and in the Inner Sphere, would never have been given the job of head of the analysis section for such an organization. It was his mixture of distaste for his job, shame over his current predicament, and contempt for his bondsmen that made what happened next possible.

Star Captain Horatio had left his passcode for his desk terminal written down on a piece of Clan Watch stationary on his desk for all to see. Before long, it was in Abagail's pocket as she wiped down the desk. She also managed to photograph the monthly SOI pad, as well as three reports from the Watch analysts on how they were tracking the FC buildup along the border, as well as dealing with the increasingly effective insurgency throughout the Occupation Zone.

Leftenant Abagail Hearns, LIC smiled. _God, the Clanners make this so damned easy. The Elementals at the door don't even search me, except for weapons or explosives, and this idiot of a Star Captain is too busy being drugged out of his mind. I could lead a dozen Loki into this place and kill everyone here and be gone before the dumb bastards knew we were here..with just about every scrap of intelligence in the building. They don't even have a burn bag for god's sake._

Hearns had been inserted two years ago to replace a previous agent-in-place who had died when he had inadvertently blown his cover. _Sadly, while their ability to gather, analyze, and compile intelligence for decision makers was decidedly suspect, as well as their ability to secure such data from other intelligence agencies, there was nothing wrong with Clan interrogation methods. The Clan systems of torture and mechanical interrogation worked all too well, as her predecessor had found out. LIC lost 4 good people when Haputmann Frederich was made to talk._ Hearns intended to not get sloppy.

Hearns quickly packed up her cleaning supplies, and returned them to the labor caste storage area that had formerly been an old office, the local Factor, a preening-Clan born individual by the name of Rudnik, with greasy hands and wild hair, was only too happy to lord over the 4 bondsmen that had been assigned to him from the general populace. Abagail's cover was that of a former infantryman from the Sudeten Militia, now POW with no technical skills, and thus, relegated to the laborer caste. It suited Hearns just fine.

It was at that moment Rudnik looked on in her direction. "Abagail, a moment?"

Abagail froze. Could Rudnik have seen her toss Horatio's office? She hoped not, but so far, he had proven rather oblivious to a lot of things. He simply seemed interested in getting into Abagail's jumpsuit, his hot, rancid breath having made sure Abagail remembered if she did give in to his "charms", that it would simply be for the job, and little else. _Not that I think I ever would. Best to lead him around by his little Clanner beak…._

"Abagail, you have not been efficient in your cleaning tasks. You linger too long in the Star Captain's office, and I cannot have that. Your lack of efficiency has been noticed and if it continues, I will refer you to the Star Captain for discipline-" Rudnk stepped forward, invading Hearn's personal space. –"-unless you are willing to provide me with a personal bit of surkai?"

 _Ugh, the good thing about Clan criminal justice, is that, were an unfortunate accident to befall him, the tankers would not care very much._ Abagail's mind fumed. She tensed her fists, preparing to fight him if she had to, she already have a cover story prepared, where she would say he attempted to force her to couple and she fought him off. The warriors would have a good laugh, and then beat him for losing to a bondsman.

 _But I do not want it to get to that point…"_ What did you have in mind, Rudnik?" Hearns said coyly, making sure to keep the tone inviting, but tired, letting him know she might not be up to giving him a good time in any case.

"Use your imagination, bondsman. You are property of the Clan, and as a member of the Clan, I do as I like!" He then grabbed a fistful of her jumpsuit and kissed her forcefully, his technique was sloppy, and stomach churning. Hearns wasn't in the mood for this. _Time to dissuade him._

Hearns stamped down hard on his left foot with her heavy workboots, catching him in the instep. His boots, unlike hers, were steel-toed, but were cheaply made, and did not have the instep protection most warrior issue boots did. Hearns was rewarded with a shriek, as a small bone in his foot snapped like a tree branch. Rudnik collapsed and Hearns grabbed one fist into another, reared back with her right elbow, and drove it with all of her force into Rudnik's right eye socket. Rudnik went down screaming, and grabbed his bruised eye. Hearns then followed up with a vicious kick to the back of the head, but as she was prepared to deliver a finishing blow, she was picked effortlessly off the battered wooden floor by an unseen force, her feet being 10 centimeters off the ground by the time it was all said and done.

Hearns turned her head to see whom had lifted her off the floor, it was one of the security Elementals, a woman by the name of Azrel. She was a decent sort for a Clanner, having a kind face for a muscular woman who was almost three meters in height. She had warned Hearns her first day about Rudnik, and his proclivities.

"Ahem-" Azrel cleared her throat for emphasis "What do I have here? A Bondsman giving a laborer factor, her superior a beating. Some would consider this a punishable offense, Bondsman? What is your story?"

"Warrior Azrel, I seek surkai for having beaten the factor, but he attempted to couple with me without my consent. Perhaps this does not have weight in Clan society, but in the Inner Sphere, it is a grave crime." Hearns said, with just the right amount of supplication in her voice.

Azrel turned to Rudnik, "is this true, Rudnik. Do not attempt to lie. You know I can and will have you interrogated to discern the truth. Bondsmen have been taken in honorable battle. You cannot even make that claim."

Rudnik moaned "She is correct, Warrior Azrel, I did as she described. I beg for surkai."

Azrel smled cruelly at Rudnik, and gingerly released Hearns. "And surkai you will perform. And I will speak with the senior Labor caste factor. I will have you sent back to the homeworlds in disgrace afterwards."

Rudnik simply moaned in acceptance of his fate.

Azrel turned to Hearns. "Some advice, the Clan can well survive the loss of this factor. If he accosts you again, kill him. I will speak to the Star Captain when he awakens about cutting the prowess strand of your bondcord. You have impressed me today."

Azrel then turned and lumbered from the room.

Hearns leaned over and whispered into Rudnik's ear. "I own you now, Rudnik. Cross me again, and you die, get it? Fail to do as I tell you, and I will kill you, and no one will stop me."

Rudnik sat up slowly, his eye purple and black with rapidly forming bruises, and unable to open as it swelled shut. "What do you require?" he said through gritted teeth.

"I will be in touch Rudnik, I will be in touch."


	8. A Marshalling of Forces

"…the AFFC recovered quickly from the blows of the Clan Invasion over the 4 years between it's end, and the beginning of Clover Spear. What was most remarkable was the ability of the Federated Commonwealth to marshal it's industrial capacity in such a way that the economic capacity of the Commonwealth was not even close to being tapped once the War of '56 began.

What really surprised observers was the formation of 8 new 'Mech regiments, 4 of them being RCTs, many of these units were formed to carry on the linage of destroyed units, but some were units that had not seen a battlefield since the 2nd Succession War. Almost all of these units were posted to the Sarna and Capellan Marches to cover the departure of other units for Clover Spear.

8 so called "free" regiments were formed, From the Lyran State Command, the 8th Arcturan Guards, the 10th and 12th Donegal Guards and the 4th Royal Guards. From the Federated Suns State Command, the 5th, 9th, 33rd and 41st Avalon Hussars. All, with the exception of the 4th Royal (which was formed from some of the best Mechwarriors in the Commonwealth) were still fairly green when war came. That said, some of them gave a good account of themselves when the Capellans and the Mariks came. Many of these units had bought the time the Commonwealth needed with their lives…"

" **A Bloody Standard - The Federated Commonwealth's Preparations for the War of '56" (Precentor Alex Carrigan, ComGuard (Ret), Castemate Press, Terra, New York, 3069)**

 _March 9_ _th_ _, 3055_

 _Private Offices of the Captain-General_

 _Atreus City_

 _Atreus, Free Worlds League_

Captain-General Thomas Marik was not a happy man. It was a cool spring night on Atreus, but not even a comfortable fire or a tumbler of Glengarry Reserve could improve his mood. _He's my son-in-law for a few months, and already, he thinks he can call the damned shots? I should have kept going after Andurien..rid the Inner Sphere of the entire foul Liao brood._ Thomas shook his head violently, expelling such thoughts. They were allies now, as much as Thomas had to control himself from spitting every time he had to say it.

 _But this plan is the height of insanity._ Almost 2/3 _of the CCAF and a third of the FWLM, not to mention some twenty regiments of mercenaries, to be hired with Marik money no less, and "gifted" to the Capellans (Parliament would love that) was to cut the two halves of the Commonwealth off, take Sarna and Kathil, and force the Commonwealth to the peace table under favorable terms. If we get as far as Styk and Oliver, we should fall down on our knees and thank god._

The plans, codenamed EAST SEA, were ambitious, but they had been scaled down from the original plans, or at least the LCCC thought so. Thomas took another sip from his brandy, there were quite a few issues. First, logistical. It seemed the CCAF was going to depend on the League to come up with the supplies to make this work, _And if I say no, what the hell might that idiot son in law of mine do then? What does my daughter see in that Capellan anyhow?_

The other issue was political. First, while the Mask was a very good intelligence agency, it was not infallible. The Davions had foxed it before, and the constant reports of troop movements into the Lyran state could mean anything? _Perhaps he is rotating forces, perhaps it is an exercise, perhaps, perhaps…_

 _And then there is the not so small issue of how many provinces are going to vote with their feet on this war. Home Defense Act be damned._

SAFE for various reasons, did not completely trust the Capellan analysis, and their view was that the Capellans had probably missed more than a few regiments along the border, or were being taken in by some Davion shell game designed to precipitate a border incident. _It is an assessment I am coming to agree with._

Thomas reached over, and tapped a key to turn on his noteputer. Thomas reached over to the keyboard, and quickly typed up the following message:

From : C-G Marik

To: Director, SAFE

Wilson,

I have a plan the Capellans delivered via diplomatic courier yesterday for an offensive into the FC's Sarna March. Needless to say, I do not trust my Son-In-Law further than I can throw him, especially now that he has married my daughter. I want you to put your best people on the project of double checking the Capellan information. Davion has fooled them before.

Furthermore, and I only want this handed to the most trustworthy people you have, I want a blackmail file begun on my dear son-in-law. I hear he has a new female adviser. Find out how close they are, and if it is exploitable. It would be nice to be able to dissolve this marriage, as I fear it will get us into a bigger mess than the nation can handle right now.

Consider both of these matters to be of the highest priority,

Thomas

Thomas gave the message a once over, then tapped a few keys to move the message into the classified message traffic buffer and then tapped the SEND key to send the message on it's way.

 _After I have Wilson tell me whether it is on the level or not, I will have Garabaldi and Blake take a look at this thing, and tell me if we can actually pull it off..not to mention meet with the Ministry of Finance and see if we can actually come up with the money…_

Thomas leaned back and took another sip of his whiskey. _Either way, the League is going to come out of this mess a winner._

Finally, there was a personal reason on why not: Joshua. He was still on New Avalon, and for now, was responding to treatment. _Is Victor Davion any bit his father? Would he refuse my son treatment? Or worse, would he find out the truth about me?_

An unseasonable chill soon filled Thomas Marik's bones. Disquiet pervaded the rest of his evening, as thoughts of his children and their well-being came unbidden.

 _March 19_ _th_ _, 3055_

 _Fort Defiance_

 _Defiance_

 _Crucis March_

 _Federated Commonwealth_

Colonel Hans Strucker, 54th Artillery Brigade (Commanding) looked on through his field glasses with a mixture of pride and satisfaction as he stood with Marshal Stephan Cooper observing the 54th execute a brigade rolling barrage on one of Fort Defiance's many ranges. The various techs and umpires took measurements through their own equipment, and typed notations into their noteputers for later comment during the After Action Report.

The rolling ground shook and heaved as the guns, a mile to the rear, continuously fired without letup, the concentrated outgoing fire sending vibrations through the earth that could be felt, and heard even a mile away.

The view through Strucker's Zeiss field glasses was magnificent, with round after round landing within the area proscribed for the live shoot. So far, there were no reports of any injuries, or technical issues with the guns..as the gouts of earth and dust vomited skyward with the encouragement of tons of high explosives. The small hill that made up the impact range was beginning to be obscured in the smoke and dust, and even with the Zeiss glasses, it was beginning to become harder to see the target, a series of hulked battlemechs and vehicles.

Marshal Cooper smiled tightly, and tapped Colonel Strucker on the shoulder, and waited for the Colnel to lower his field glasses.

"Colonel, you have a hell of a brigade, they get into position quickly, they handle the new Fire Direction Equipment with skill, and your FOs are top notch. You engaged that hill within a minute and had three rounds off from two of your three gun battalions before the first round hit the ground. I am impressed."

Colonel Strucker bowed slightly, in the Steiner noble tradition when getting praise from a superior officer. He did spare the Davion Marshal the clicking of his heels. It seemed that most Davion officers found the practice silly, and more than a bit showy. "Thank you, Herr Marshal, we drill to a high standard, and the new fire direction equipment makes coordinating artillery fire an easy thing to accomplish. In short, we are ready, Herr Marshalm, my men and women want to teach the Clans to respect our guns and rockets…or we will teach them that respect."

 _I do believe that_ Marshal Cooper mused. The fact was, until recent events, Artillery had been a maligned thing in the Inner Sphere. But, with the rediscovery of an ancient Fire Control System called "TacFire" and it's retrofitting to work with Star League technology (including most importantly, TAG), as well as the advent of faster loading systems for the Long Tom and Thumper class artillery pieces, artillery soon became a pretty nasty thing again.. _And then, if that wasn't enough, there is Project Bumblebee, but that is something even Strucker isn't supposed to know about…yet. If we can make those rounds work…the Falcons are well, and truly done for._

"When are we to deploy to the front, Herr Marshal?"

"Soon, yours was one of the last brigades that needed to complete pre-deployment readiness evaluation, and anyhow, I wanted to get to know you and your brigade…you're going to be in direct support to my RCT."

Stucker's heart soared. _This will be a thing to tell my men and women. This is going to make all the loading drills, the live fires, the road marches and everything else worth it. So many of my men and women are from the Tamar March, and so many of them want vengeance. As do I._

Stucker has lost his family on Twycross to the Jade Falcons when he had been commander of the TMM's artillery battalion. He'd barely gotten out with a battery of guns when it was all over, but they had fired every round they had at the Falcons, but it hadn't been enough.

 _But not this time..this time, we teach those arrogant bastards who the real King of the Battlefield is. And what Kings do to usurpers…_

 _April 6_ _th_ _, 3055_

 _The Triad_

 _Tharkad_

 _Federated Commonwealth_

"Your Highness, as you can see, most of the units intended for Clover Spear have already moved into position, with a few more expected to close up by the end of July. After that, we intend to do a little creative re-badging to keep the Clans guessing." Nondi Steiner stated, her strong voice echoing off of the Palace War Room as she illustrated a magnified map of the Clan frontier in the holotank. Friendly worlds blazed gold, and Clan held ones glowed green, or grey, depending on which Clan currently held possession.

The holotank hovered over one side of the room, with the other dominated by a long table surrounding the holotank, each seat with its own sound system to magnify any speech in the room.

Victor Steiner-Davion smiled, _So far dad, so good. Now the question remains, do the Capellans know we have stolen a march on them, or are we still doing well enough to convince everyone we are just rotating units from the frontier?_

Victor raised his hand and all discussion stopped. He turned to face the head of LIC, General Karl Halberg, who was a large, bullet-headed man who wore his graying hair closely cropped, and his uniform immaculate. His eyes betrayed sadness, the sadness of a man who held too many secrets, and had done things to keep them that didn't bear close thought.

"General Halberg? Do the Capellans know what we're about to do?"

"Your highness, it is our estimation and that of MIIO that the Maskriovka has probably guessed we are about to do something, the good news is, we have managed to clog up the rumor mill so badly for them, they are going to be spending a bit of time figuring out what is about to happen, until it does. I know you got that letter at the beginning of the year, your highness, but there has been no Capellan or League troop movements or other unusual activity to suggest that they in fact, know what we are about to do. ISF or O5P might just be playing games with us, and they told your friend because they know we would give her information more weight."

"Suggestions, General?"

"Keep doing what we are doing, we are too far along anyhow, General Savinson has a lot of Loki assets deployed and ready to execute, and a lot of my Norns are going to be breaking cover to support them and the Longherin strikes on identified POW camps. In short, this goes wrong, the intelligence netwoek in Clan space is going to be gutted. So we have no choice, go. After that, your highness, my only advice is this: Beat the Clan bastards as quick as we can."

Victor nodded, General Karlberg was right. _Time was becoming a factor, as there was only 17 months left until the operation commenced. And, with interstellar distances and communications involved, armies and states did not turn on a dime._

"So, General Steiner, any concerns, or changes?" Victor asked.

"No, your highness, we should be briefing regimental and RCT commanders within the next three months as to their roles and targets. The help we have gotten from General Karlberg and his people on current conditions, as well as the enemy ORBAT has been outstanding." General Steiner responded, a tone of professional satisfaction In her voice.

"Any concerns, anyone, please, now is a good time to mention them?" Victor stated, a bit more pleading in his voice than he had intended.

"I do have one concern of my own. Our inclusion of nuclear weapons. As much as I think the Jade Falcons are a threat to our very way of life, what are their possible response if we begin to nuke their warships?" Victor asked.

General Karlberg stated without hesitation "Your Highness, they will probably retaliate with something akin to Turtle Bay, but the fact remains, and this is with all due respect to our navy colleagues, but the fact remains. Our own warship programs are woefully inadequate. And asking ComStar.."

Victor finished the statement "..would pose a host of political problems. Alright gentlemen, you have your conditional nuclear release. But, if the bastards go after civilians, then all gloves are off, verstehen? Now, as for the rest of the plan, is this as good as we can make it?"

No one said a word, except for a tow headed officer, whose uniform was a bit rumpled, with a number of coffee cups emptied in front of him. Victor knew him only by reputation, Marshal Renier Poulin. Poulin was a hard charging Lyran officer of the old school who had definitely not come up through the Social General system, but had been languishing in a post on CMO 26 before a Colonel Katrina Steiner had noticed the young Hauptmann. The rest, as they said…was history.

"Your Highness-" Poulin's gravelly voice filled the room with all the lyricism of a cement mixer, "We should go, hell, we must go. The Clans are as blind, intel wise, as an opponent I have ever faced. We have a lot of citizens on those worlds, and things are not like "Wait until the next war" out there. No, Your Highness, these Tankers, to quote one of my favorite movies, think they are on a mission from God. With luck, and a little firepower and preparation? We can more than disabuse them of that notion. Also, sir? Let me say this..I hate anybody who goes around saying that they are the master race."

A response came unbidden from the Davion side of the war room, "Wait, you mean you Steiners aren't?" It was a new version of an old joke about Germans…and now, Lyrans.

The entire room had a good laugh at that, even Victor chuckled before he held up his hands to get things back under control "I can't take you people anywhere, can I?" Victor stated, as he flashed a winning grin around the room.

"Ok, so, what everyone is telling me, is we should go?"

There was a loud consensus of fists banging on tables and shouted "Yeses".

"I see we have consensus. Alright, I know my mother has already approved. Gentlemen, we go.. But one thing. I hear the Clans have their biggest holiday on the 24th of August. I know we had chosen the 6th..but why in the world should they be the only ones celebrating?"

Nondi Steiner smiled a feral smile at the idea. "Your Highness, we can make this happen, can we General Karlberg?"

General Karlberg nodded.

And thus, the die was cast.


	9. Interlude 2

**Excerpt from "Liberating the Tamar March on 5 C-Bills a day", Kommandant Sara Bennigan, AFFC (Ret), McMillan-New Avalon Press, New Avalon, 3069**

"I remember the first time I found out about Clover Spear. It was late in the summer of 3055 on Koniz..which was known for bestial summers. Nothing like back home on Chesterton, it's like Koniz only had two seasons, winter and summer, and they both sucked. There was about 100-150 of us in a rented warehouse on Koniz..and my god it was hot. The locals didn't like anybody much, except themselves..and I won't even mention the fact that all life was left handed amino acid based, so we couldn't eat it..and vice versa, yet it did not prevent it from trying.

So, there we were, being briefed on an operation that was probably going to change the damn face of the Inner Sphere, and they could not spare something for some portable A/C! God I hated Koniz..not much to recommend that place. The idea we were finally doing something..and getting off of Koniz made a lot of folks in my company happy, including myself.

So there we were, standing at attention, waiting for the briefer to come in..in no less than personage than Marshal Poulin himself. The command of "take seats" bellowed out, and we screamed the Argyle Lancers motto. "For God, Argyle, and Davion!" and took our now scalding hot metal seats (of which I still have the scars on my arse to prove it. Thank god we were not wearing Mechwarrior togs that day.)

After a moment of trying to find the most comfortable position of which to endure this small indignity, we were treated to some short remarks about how important an operation this was that we were about to embark on and how we will be able to tell our grandkids that we spearheaded the operation that would drive the Clans back from whence they came. Now, I will admit, I was droning off, but when I heard that comment..the first thought that came to my mind was. _Christ, Hanse got divorced and no one told us._ He only started major wars on his wedding day, don't you know!

In any case, Colonel Bannock soon took over and I was beginning to nod off again, I can read the damn briefing notes and the oporder. It was becoming death by Powerpoint 3050 I suppose…when he said.."..and as always, our irrepressible Hauptmann Bennigan will lead off, and find and fix the clanners in place so the rest of us can smash them!"

Memory does not serve to recall the look on my face at that moment…but a friend assured me it was something between daggers at Colonel Bannock for again volunteering my boys and girls to play pop up targets for the Tankers, and wondering if I could hire a couple of Tong hitmen from back home to wack the Colonel?...I do remember my response "Colonel darling, we are so delighted to be in the lead again!" The hell I was. And don't think, dear reader, that my Medal Excalibur says otherwise. I'd rather have my favorite left leg back."

 **Page 199, "Reflections", by Victor Steiner-Davion, Davion Palace Press, New Avalon, 3071**

As 3055 became 3056, the movement of forces began to accelerate, the logistical demands just for the buildup became nothing short of titanic. How we managed to surprise the Clans at all is beyond me, especially when the Marik/Capellan Alliance got off that nasty little surprise in September. We did notice their movements to an extent, but it is hard getting good intelligence out of a closed society like the Capellan Confederation. In short, they hoodwinked us to a good extent. Not completely, as we knew we would get hit..the size of the hit..that shocked us.

That, and the depths the Capellans were willing to go to paralyze us. But more on that later, especially since my stump is itching like crazy right now as I write this.

As I said, it was incredible the logistical effort that was required just to sustain the AFFC units massing in Tamar. Every projection we sent to my father..he said "double it". Panapour was working three shifts just to produce enough autocannon ammunition…

I will never forget the night of August 1st, 3056. It was our last conference before Clover Spear kicked off. We'd been doing 18 hour days and we were dead on our feet..some staff flak was presenting the final projected enemy prisoner of war figures and what we'd need to care for them..and all of a sudden…I hear this infernal snoring…well, I am just mad as hell. Somebody's fallen asleep here at the damn last conference before this mighty endeavor kicks off.. I just lost it. "Who the hell is snoring?" I roared.

God bless Ardan Sortek. He leaned over with an impish smile and looked me right in the eye with his smartphone facing me. And there was a lovely, MP10 quality image of me, the very First Prince of the Federated Suns..sawing wood like a lumberjack.

If that does not teach you any damn form of humility…nothing will."

 **Page 166, "Blood of a Partisan"**

…they say you never know a guy till you fight him. I can thus, safely say. I know Jade Falcons very well..especially how to kill them in a variety of un-amusing ways. With the arrival of the Rabid Foxes, we went on nothing less than a rampage.

We hit numerous small targets of opportunity, anywhere those Green Pidgeon bastards hung out, we hit, hard. Drive bys, IEDs, truck bombs, hell once, we flew an traffic drone into one of their dropships filled with munitions..that made a very nice bang, I do tell you. Explosives though, became our stock and trade. But our piece de resistance, well, that was the Clawfell job.

The Clawfell job was a demolition of the James Clawfell Memorial Bridge. Mr. Clawfell was a local boy who had made good during the Star League. Won the Star League Medal of Honor for some brave fool thing back during the Aramis revolt. They'd named a bridge after him when he and his family had left along with Kerensky. Guess we saved the planetary nobility the trouble of renaming the bridge later on, right?

The Clawfell Bridge was a large, modern structure, and like most bridges in Tamar, was pre-chambered for demolition. The only reason it wasn't blown when the Tankers came was because well, things fell apart too fast for it to matter. But now, our FC benefactors wanted the bridge out of the picture, for reasons of which they did not deign to tell us. But it obviously was of some importance, that was for sure.

So, we briefed, rehearsed and then briefed again. We were getting rather good at this sort of thing. Yes, there was a point of Elementals, backed up by a couple of 2nd line 'Mechs..and yes, there was all kinds of other issues..but our recon had found one chink in the Clanner security plan. They'd forgotten about the damn river. Simply put, they didn't pay it any mind because they thought we would simply come at them head on and try to take it from them. After all the mayhem and chaos we were inflicting? You would think the Tankers would have learned something?

The plan as it was, was genius. We wired up several charges of C-9 explosive on a command detonator…with a backup contact fuze. All of the charges were designed as shaped charges designed to vent all of their force against the bridge pylons. Add in a preprogrammed route into an R/C boat brain (Trying to control the boats might have prematurely set off the explosive.), and you have a fairly sneaky way to take down a bridge. We had a total of six charges...1 for each of the pylons..and two backups, just in case.

The good thing about the Clawfell Bridge, was that it, like most bridges, would not survive the loss of two of its four pylons..so long as the pylons that were destroyed were on the same side. So, as it was, the mission was relatively simple..relatively.

After a two day trek through the Great Wetlands, we came to the Balduri River, crossed by the Clawfell Bridge. Security had not changed at all..and they still were not paying a bit of mind to the water. _You're going to regret that in a few moments..Mr. Tanker_ was all I could think. While our heavy weapons and snipers set up (They were there to occupy the Clan Elementals long enough for the bombs to reach their targets…if that's what it took.)

I looked over the device. It was a simple, circular thing..with a mix of foliage and mud stuck to the top so as to make our infernal device look like simple junk drifting along with the river. The firing circuit, the guidance system, and the wiring, all looked good. I reattached the cover, then inspected the remaining five submersibles, amazingly, they all were good to go.

I placed the first submersible into the water..it was about 10 kilos in weight..about 3 meters long..and filled to the brims with C-9. It took to the water quickly…and the motor kicked in with a start..leaving a trail of bubbles in its wake as it slowly made its way towards the bridge, some three kilometers downstream. We placed three more subs into the water right behind it and quickly made our way back to our earlier vantage point..with one of us running a stopwatch, with our calculations having been that at a speed of 2 knots, it would take half an hour for the charges to reach their target.

After a good twenty minute climb up the sheer face of the rock walls lining the river (Winfield has a lot of mountains, so we are somewhat used to this), we took up a vantage point overlooking the bridge some five kilometers away, we waited patiently as the time counted down.

..FIVE..

..FOUR..

..THREE..

..TWO..

..ONE..

And there was nothing..but silence. It was frustrating..+10 seconds, +20 seconds, still nothing. Minutes passed by. Dammit, we missed. But how? Did it matter? We had to set the backup charges up..and get out of here.

We were about to make our way back down the cliff face when a momentary bright flash, centered on the bridge, lit up the darkness. Another flash soon followed, and then a third. The BAWUMP of a muffled explosion soon followed. The bridge was aflame..and wobbling, a enemy 'Mech that had been standing guard in the middle of the bridge down across the traffic lanes atop the bridge, with a large support pylon from the upper works having been driven into the back of the 'Mech, with a sheen of escaping waste heat shimmering and distorting the sky around it.

The bridge began to groan under the weight of the weakened pylons..and we heard the pops of multiple welds and rivets give way, and with a crash, a pylon collapsed into the river, taking the left hand side of the bridge with it, this then collapsed the other two pylons..and before long, the entire bridge crashed in a cacophony of protesting metal and splashing water as the entire wrecked mess crashed some 100 meters into the river below.

We all slapped each other on the back for that. For less than 1000 pounds worth of C-9, we had dropped the major route in and out of the planetary capitol. We hadn't counted on the reaction by the Tankers, however.

The next day, Star Colonel Mark (the traitorous swine was on an inspection tour!) led an "indoctrination sweep" into several suburban neighborhoods of the planetary capitol. He turned OmniMechs armed with machineguns and autocannons on innocent civilians. And the sick bastard considered it his duty. Some 850 people died and another 1100 were injured. The Falcons considered it a mercy. That's not what the people of Winfield thought it was.

As for Star Colonel Mark, well, he soon found out what the wages of treason were, two weeks later. We delivered it through the window of his Avanti Sports Car one night..via Light Anti-Tank Weapon. I am happy to say this time, the message was successfully delivered…"


	10. It Begins

August 24th, 3056 (0145 hours, local time)

Planetary Headquarters of the Jade Falcon Watch

Red Stone Palace

Bone-Norman

Jade Falcon Occupation Zone

Hans Hertzog looked on in satisfaction as the stolen police van moved his team into position along with three others on the street opposite the Watch headquarters. _So far, so good_ , he mused silently as he checked his gear for what seemed like the twelfth time. _It's my first time as an operational leader..and I want this to go right._

The blue and white van appeared almost yellow in the anemic light of the underpowered streetlamp, the street and sidewalk slick with the remains of a recent rain storm that had blown through down off the mountains to the north.

The city of Red Stone Palace was quiet, as the Falcons had recently instituted a dusk to dawn curfew with the recent increase in guerrilla activity, not to mention asking the populace to put up with rolling blackouts and spotty communications as the guerillas went after the planetary power and communications network. This did not help the Jade Falcons either, as they now had to use their own power and communications gear to maintain their own operations, which while it did keep their various subunits on-planet in touch with each other, and able to have a modicum of electricity, it increased resentment among the populace, and increased the number of attacks on the Jade Falcons, both civilian and military.

He glanced at his watch again, 0145 and twenty seconds..another five, four, three, two, one and MARK!

Two figures in the white and green uniform, with a prominent patch of a black and white outline of the Falcon in flight on the left breast, walked briskly up to the outer perimeter guards who were dressed similarly with cups of coffee from a popular local chain. This uniform was the uniform of the Jade Falcon-backed Red Stone Palace Police Department, which these days, was made up of bullyboys and traitors. _They won't be missed_ , Hertzog nodded grimly.

The guards were spending more time trying to keep warm in the 14 Celsius wet chill. The air was heavy, and humid, but there was no water vapor being exhaled by any of the figures. Both of the new arrivals subtly paired off with their opposite number on guard. Hertzog surveyed the scene.. _looks good, GO_. He clicked his tactical mike twice and both of the newcomers produced knives and repeatedly stabbed the abdomens of the policemen on guard while clamping a hand firmly over the mouths of the victims, then, as the guards fell, they moved over the bodies and deftly slashed their throats from ear to ear, just to make sure. It had taken just seconds.

At that same moment, the two guards at the inner perimeter, a pair of armored Elementals, were engaged and neutralized by 4 sniper teams on a series of nearby rooftops, two per elemental, who put a pair of .340 caliber light armor piercing, 125 grain sabot rounds through their thin "V" shaped armored windscreens. Both Elementals were killed instantly when the bullets tore through the windscreen, the bullets then tore through the heads and upper chest cavities of the Elementals at velocities of more than 4500 m/s. The insides of the Elemental suits were literally painted with gore and blood as the suits froze in mid stride, becoming impromptu monuments to their operators. One of the figures at the outer gate recovered a flashlight from his belt, then flashed it three times. Hertzog smiled. _Success, and surprise. We have them_. Hertzog slammed his fist twice against the wall separating the passenger and driving compartment in the van, and the van's engine turned over, quickly coming to speed as it made for the outer gate. The figures quickly pulled the bodies out of sight, then made their way at a dead run to the inner gate, and began to work on the security lock, but not before blinding the camera with some locally purchased black spray paint.

The outer gate was little more than a reinforced wrought iron fence, and fell easily under the wheels of the lead van. All three soon pulled up to the inner gate, and a dozen figures soon spilled out of the vans, they were in Lyran issue tactical gear, their uniforms devoid of insignia, or even name tape. They wordlessly began to site in their heavy weapons, and dig emplacements for the expected Jade Falcon counterattack.

Hertzog remained in the van with the majority of his men. This wasn't his final stop. Nope, he had a little more to go. The lock was quickly defeated, and the gates, a pair of reinforced ferrocrete blast gates, swung open. At that moment, all three vans rolled through the gate, and headed straight for the loading dock on the south end of the building.

They each pulled rear end first into a separate loading dock, disgorging yet more figures, a total of 45 men in all, similarly attired and equipped as the gentlemen digging in at the gate. A pair of figures brought forward a set of mouse holing charges for the sheet steel rolling doors that overlooked each of the rolling dock bays. Well, the sound and flash will buy us a few seconds of paralysis..all we need. The charges were placed deftly, and everyone backed away into some semblance of cover as the ten second fuse counted down.

TEN…

NINE…

EIGHT…

SEVEN…

SIX…

FIVE…

FOUR…

THREE…

TWO…

ONE…

The doors reverberated with a loud BRAMM as they buckled like a beer can under the force of the shaped charge, blowing a man-sized hole in the door inward towards the large receiving room beyond. Before long, parties of two men had tossed disc shaped stun grenades into each of the holes, and waited until they detonated with a bright flash, and a loud report not unlike a shotgun held next to one's ear. Then, in parties of 15, the raiders piled through the holes in the doors and began to sweep the room, side to side, moving carefully, and slowly, yet quickly at the same time. There were small fires burning all over the floor of the bay as packages burned in the wake of the multiple explosions. Shattered plastic rained down from the florescent lights and crunched under the feet of the intruders as they duckwalked to the door leading to the main part of the building.

A Falcon laborer, who worked as a clerk was at the desk in the side office on the left side of the receiving floor, was on the floor of the office, the office door was knocked off of its hinges, and he bled from his nose and ears, moaning in pain. Hertzog pointed his head towards him, and nodded, a man peeled off from the middle group of raiders, walked right up to the raised his silenced Mauser and Grey pistol, and put two rounds into his chest, then one into his head. The laborer soon stopped moaning and lay still in the rictus of death. _We can't afford any prisoners right now_ , Hertzog mused.

A small muffled bang announced that the lock on the inner door of the loading dock had given way under the attentions of a prybar. The door swung wide as the first team of 15 stacked, and then moved through as quickly as they could to avoid being caught by the Falcon defenders in the "fatal funnel". They found a three way intersection, just as the LIC operative had said they would, and went right down a long, windowless hall to another door, that led to that group's target, the records archive.

The second group peeled left, down another windowless hall, and headed for the living quarters for the analysts and the head of the Watch on Bone-Norman, a disagreeable former Elemental known as Star Commander Hargreve. All of them, at least, according to orders, were to be taken alive..if possible, but no one was really in a mood to make that possible. Hertzog and his men had been on Bone Norman for 11 months. They had seen what the Watch was capable of. The unofficial orders among the team was, unless they were wearing a bondcord, kill them.

Hertzog's group was headed for the biggest prize of them all. The ELINT traffic collection center. Bone-Norman was an important lynch-pin in the Jade Falcon ELINT collection effort along the FedCom border. Any ELINT activities had to go in the first hours of any invasion of the Jade Falcon/Steel Viper OZ, because the FedCom wanted to of course, keep the Falcons as blind as they could, for as long as they could manage it. Of course, getting some examples of Clan communications tech would be nice too, rumor had it there was an HPG somewhere in the building..but Hertzog figured it was not worth getting killed over.

Two men flattened at either side of the door, while a third covered the door, one produced a pry bar and quickly had the door open. And at that moment, the universe exploded. Green clan tracers tore through the space where the door was, stitching the commando covering the door with a series of red ichor blossoms as a series of assault rifle rounds tore him apart, and he was dead before he hit the floor.

 _Shit, there went surprise!_

The two men to either side of the door reacted quickly, tossing a pair of flashbangs each down the open doorway towards the hair of gunfire, the flashbangs went off after a short delay, and Hertzog's group quickly stacked and assaulted through the doorway, the lead man found a pair of unarmored Elementals, staggering around blind and deaf, bleeding from the nose and ears, their weapons on the floor as they moaned in pain. Both were shot without delay or ceremony by the lead man in the stick.

The hall had four doors on each side, all were made of thick sheets of pressed wood laminate, with crude nameplates and stickers of both the Jade Falcon Clan, and the 94th Striker Cluster's sigil on the face of each door. Parties of two stacked by each door, but being short, one door at the end of the hall was left for when another group became free, Hertzog trained his weapon, a Federated Short Carbine in 7mm towards the door, just in case something came out.

Each door was opened with a prybar, a pair of flashbangs thrown in, and then the two raiders entered the room, one going high, the other low, as they proceeded into the room, heading for the near corners, clearing those, then methodically clearing the far end of the room, searching the closet, and under the desk. Wasps of smoke filled the hall as paper and furnishings began to burn in small fires, it got so bad, several men took off their face shields and slipped on their gas masks. Even with the thick cinder-block walls, shots and flashbangs reverberated through the building. Most of the fire sounded like that of the raiders, with very few reports sounding like Clan weapons. So far, so good.

As soon as that was completed. The raiders came to another door, this one double locked and made of a very tough looking metal alloy, with the legend in large red letters stating "ELINT COLLECTION ROOM, NO BONDSMEN OR LABORERS PERMITTED."

The locks looked too strong for a prybar..and Hertzog was not in the mood for subtle. A demolition man approached, and placed charges on each hinge of the door, with everyone backing away as the 10 second fuze counted down. The 3lb charges, 1 per hinge, went off as one loud report, the door crashing to the ground with a screech of tortured metal, as the room filled with smoke. The team stacked and entered, half went left, half went right, but the entry was anti-climactic. Two of the Falcon techs had been feeding documents into the shredder, they'd been about halfway done, while another tech had been busily smashing the hell out of the machinery, he dropped his sledgehammer the minute he had seen the commandos gain entry. All of the techs now had their hands well above their heads, their eyes as wide as saucers.

Ok, I think we can safely take these guys. "Ok Birdies, resist, and we shoot you, get it?" Hertzog growled.

The Falcon techs nodded as one, a female tech with sweat matted blonde hair gulping visibly with fear.

Two of Hertzog's men approached each of the techs, tossing them roughly to the ground, and then searching them without any acknowledgement of their comfort level. Once the raiders were satisfied they had been properly searched, they were ziptied, roughly pulled to their feet, and frog marched out into the hall, where they were sat crosslegged in the hall, and told to study the wall, or gain a third nostril.

Hertzog's subcommanders began to report in; VALKYRIE, THIS IS MLONJIR, CUTLASS, I SAY AGAIN, CUTLASS. That was the records room force, they were reporting complete success, and they had recovered the documents intact.

The next transmission came from a stranger, VALKRYIE, THIS IS FAUST, RAPIER, I SAY AGAIN RAPIER. FAUST LEAD AND XO ARE DOWN. LEAD IS KIA, XO IS WIA AND EXPECTANT. OVER. Again, this was a signal for success with the living quarters and seizing Star Commander Hargreves, but they had lost their team commander and assistant commander. That was unfortunate, to say the least.

FAUST, THIS IS VALKYRIE ACTUAL, DID YOU GET THE PRIMARY PACKAGE INTACT?

NEGATIVE VALKYRIE, WE HAVE THE PACKAGE, BUT NOT INTACT, OVER. Hargreves had not been taken alive, pity. After 11 months on Bone-Norman, and seeing what the Watch did to those it interrogated, he had been looking forward to watching LIC give the bastard a taste of his own medicine.

ROGER FAUST, CHARLIE MIKE, OUT.

Hertzog then grabbed a small pouch off of his belt, and made his way down the hall, he ducked into an office and opened the window, pulling the object out of the pouch. It was a small keypad with a small screen, a deft swipe with his thumb turning the object on. He typed a short message:

VALKYRIE FORCE SENDS: BATTLEAXE, REPEAT BATTLEAXE.

Hertzog then stabbed the "SEND" key, sending the message tearing skyward by burst transmission towards the incoming FedCom invasion force. BATTLEAXE had been the success signal. He glanced at his watch. 0148 hours. _Not bad..they'd hadn't been able to beat 4 minutes in rehearsals._

An explosion lit up the skyline of Red Stone Palace, soon, other explosions followed. It wasn't long before the warbling of the invasion alarm went off. Too late, Mr. Falcon, Loki is already here. Looks like the Dropport is being hit on schedule. _Now all I have to do is the hardest part..hold until relieved. Let's hope the 24th Arcturan Guards get down alright._


	11. Prologue, Book 2

_Inbound to Planetfall, 18 hours out_

 _Bone-Norman_

 _Jade Falcon Occupation Zone_

 _August 24th, 3056_

 _Aboard the Union Class Dropship "Luck of the Draw"_

The sounds of a dropship in the final stages of a drop were not a new one to anyone who had been in any military in the Inner Sphere for any length of time. The sounds of tools making last minute repairs to 'Mechs, the clatter of footsteps resounding throughout the ship, the murmur of conversations, pre-battle briefs, and prayers with fellow warriors. All of this was a low key cacophony that any experienced warrior was used to.

But something was different, the men and women of the 26th Lyran Guards knew that. It was the electricity, the feeling of being a coiled spring..all the training, all the lectures, all the feeling of finally, we're going to hit back at the bastards. The sting of Kobe, Thun, and Tamar was deep in the unit. And while they realized this was the Falcons, and not the Wolves, to the men and women of the 26th who had survived the invasion, any Clanner was a decent stand in to expunge the shame and anger of those days in blood.

Leftenant-General Green-Davion had reorganized the RCT, the new "Steiner's Boots" was more mobile, and with the new artillery brigades attached to the RCT, hit harder than the old 26th. Morale was high, and some unofficial sigils began to appear, one being the unit insignia of a boot smear, but across a bad caricature of a dead Jade Falcon. Another was chalked throughout the unit on 'Mechs, armor, even on the sides of dropships. It read simply "For Joy". Joy Corelli had been a beloved commander of the 26th. Green-Davion had done his best not to replace her, but to put his own stamp on the 26th, but across the unit, it was found the best means of discipline was to say, "Do you want to let Marshal Corelli down?" The 26th was a unit possessed, and out for blood.

So, it was remarkable that a single voice could cut through it all. But, it did. It was a voice all of them had known, known for most of their lives. He was the guiding architect of what was about to come, and it was this time to encourage those about to carry out the plans and preparations that had been the lion's share of their lives for the past 18 months. His father, unbeknownst to them, stood at his son's side as he recorded this fateful speech six months before. Today was the culmination of all the plans, all the wargames, all the sweat and tears.

"Men and Women of the Armed Forces of the Federated Commonwealth. Today is a day, long in coming. Today, we return to the Tamar March, and we set it free of the Clans. We restore the rightful law and order, and more importantly, justice that the peaceful people of the Tamar March have every right to expect to live under.

"The way forward will be hard, the Falcons and Vipers are formidable, but they are not the unknown boogyman they were some six years ago. We have beaten the Falcons before, on Morges, and we can and will, beat them again. Brave citizens of the worlds you are about to land on have been harrying them at every step for the last six years, and it's time for us to ensure that the sacrifices they have made were not in vain. I trust, my fellow soldiers, that you will ensure that happens.

"I wish I could be with you today. The hardest thing for any leader is to say 'go there, and risk your lives' instead of 'follow me'. I could not be prouder of all of you. You are our best. And you go forward with the hopes and dreams of billons of people behind you. I know you may scoff at that. You may say 'Easy for them, they aren't here.' But they are hopeful. Your families and loved ones pray for your safety and your success. And those below, pray for their deliverance. Let's let them all know, ETA on that is 18 hours from now.

"My father stands here with me. His hand on my shoulder as I speak to you know. I can only guess what he was thinking as he ordered our nation into war some twenty years ago. I only know this. I do this with a heavy heart, but one that says, 'we are in the right'. We cannot fail, we shall not fail, and we shall meet the Falcons and Vipers wherever, and whenever we find them, and show them what steel lies in the constitution of our people's souls.

"I won't recount the many crimes the Falcons and Vipers are guilty of. But I will say this. Nothing less than the future of humanity is at stake here. We are faced with a people who believes in the concept of a 'master race'. Such an idea should never be allowed to flourish. Though many accuse our Davion subjects about being 'might making right'. I can assure you, that concept is on full display amongst the Clans. We are, and always have been about, 'might for right'. It's time to demonstrate the difference.

"Remember your training, remember that you are members of the AFFC, and no matter what the Falcons and Vipers might do, we come not for money, or power, or any of the other things we have seen armies fight for throughout history. We come to deliver our people. But do not sully that with reprisals or massacres. Let the courts figure that out. Defeat the enemy, accept his surrenders, and free our people. I know many of you hunger for revenge. I implore you, temper that with mercy.

"Good luck, my warriors, I know you will do the realm proud."

Green-Davion's taciturn, schoolmaster-like voice then crackled through the speakers. "I know you all heard the First Prince, and he believes in us. I believe in us. We have trained for this, sweated for this. And this day will be ours. Chance favors the prepared. And we are very prepared indeed. I have a dagger here. It's one I got off a Kuritan 'Mechwarrior earlier in my career. I make you a promise, my fellow 'Boots. By the end of the first day..this knife will be buried to the hilt in the darkest tanker heart to be found on Bone-Norman!"

"Now let's go get the bastards."

The dropship, like many in the fleet erupted in cheers.

Clover Spear was underway.


	12. The Hammer Falls

_Taken from the book "Shattering the Edifice – A History of the Fall of Clans Jade Falcon and Steel Viper in the War of '56." (Force Commander Anton Jursaik, Irian, 3070)_

"What was the most impressive about the fall of the Falcons and Vipers was that the FC offensive was both so overwhelming, and so brutal from the initial hours. Nowhere was an attempt made to play by the Clan "rules". Special Operations units (like the Liberation Units of the FWLM) figured heavily in the initial hours of the assaults, and a general uprising plagued the Falcon/Viper defense from the start. It is estimated that at least 4 Star Colonels of both Clans died due to guerilla activity, one of the most famous deaths being the ambush of Star Colonel Diane Anu and an aide in her hovercar as it raced to her command post to put down what they thought was little more than a "freebirth uprising". She died under the guns of those freebriths, one witness stating that 'we more poured her body from the car than moved it by the time we were done.'

Across the Occupation Zone, the Falcons and Vipers were faced with acts of resistance, great and small as every inhabited planet simply exploded. Everything from random acts of graffiti to the destruction of maglev lines seemingly erupted in the first week of the FC offensive. And it accomplished the goal Hanse had had from the beginning, it either pinned the Jade Falcons and Steel Vipers in their bases, or it scattered them in penny packets that were easily overwhelmed by the weight of the FC counterattack."

 _Taken from the daily FC operational briefing provided to Field Marshal Ranier Poulin, Supreme Commander of "Operation Clover Spear", declassified October 9_ _th_ _, 3076._

"Jade Falcon units on the initial target worlds are in a state of chaos and operations have been up to this point, very favorable, Steel Viper units have proven to be more flexible in the face of our operations, but they have also succumbed to the weight of our firepower, coupled with lack of a secure rear area."

A summary of the status of the first wave is below:

Roadside:

We hit Roadside with the entirety of the Eridani Light Horse, the 2nd and 3rd Crucis Lancers RCTs and the 1st Kearny Highlanders. The enemy consisted of the Jade Falcon 5th Battle Cluster, which was scattered in star and trinary-sized penny packets across the main continent of Arcadia. We capitalized on the death of their Star Colonel, Diane Anu, and we managed to destroy two of these small forces with little trouble, the rest we have, over the past month, managed to hunt down, and the world is now secured as of two days ago. Casualties have been minimal and the new artillery brigades have more than proven their worth, breaking up a counterattack by two trinaries upon the flank of the 2nd Crucis Lancer's flank during a night march.

Bone-Norman

The 94th Striker Cluster was mostly caught in barracks during a hurricane drop by the 17th Skye Rangers and the 26th Lyran Guards RCT. Most of the 94th was taken without a shot, and we have at least a battalion's worth of Jade Falcon prisoners plus massive amounts of salvage. The raid on the on-world ELINT facility was a success, and it has been a massive intelligence haul.

Blair Atholl

The Steel Vipers had enough forces to cover their rear areas better, but the arrival of all 5 regiments of Wolf's Dragoons, plus the 11th and 20th Avalon Hussar RCTs was enough force to crack them under sheer weight of numbers. The penultimate event of the campaign was both artillery brigades of the two Avalon Hussar RCTs, plus the Dragoon Artillery Support Group firing in support of an assault of Zeta Battalion into the exposed flank of the 400th Assault Cluster. The rest of the 400th was quickly overrun, and the 1st Legion, still scattered as part of their COIN duties, was cut to pieces, as the 4th Viper Guards fought a rearguard under heavy pressure to their dropships. They left the world three days later under heavy FC and Dragoon aerospace interdiction. We estimate they are at least 40-50% attritted.

Alyina

We hit Alyina with the 7th Crucis Lancers RCT and the Davion Light Guards RCT. The defending 2nd Falcon Jagers were attempted to hole up in the planetary capitol, but after an attempt at surrender negotiations, we used both artillery brigades to pound them to dust, then sent both RCTs in after them. We took very few survivors prisoner.

Black Earth

We hit Black Earth with the Grey Death Legion, the 1st Federated Suns Armored Cavalry, and the 1st Aragon Borderers, the Falcon 89th Striker Cluster tried to fight a mobile campaign, but the FSAC and the GDL have had an almost preternatural ability to get around the flanks of the 89th. We expect the campaign there to be wrapped up in another week to ten days.

Hot Springs

The 1st, 2nd and Davion Assault Guards RCTs caught the 3rd and 4th Falcon Velites in COIN penny packets putting down a massive revolt amongst the populace. The Davion Guards didn't allow the Falcons time at all to reform, and smashed both units underfoot within 2 weeks. We have accepted the surrender of both units, about 300 or so survivors, mostly rear-area personnel and 18 mechs of varying states of repair.

Operations are currently ongoing and we expect the second wave of Clover Spear to commence on schedule. Falcon and Viper resistance, while in some cases fierce, is very disorganized, and prisoner interrogations reveal that many Viper warriors are blaming the Falcons for the current problems facing both Clans.

 _Plain of Tears_

 _Benfled_

 _Steel Viper Occupation Zone_

 _August 27_ _th_ _, 3056_

Leftenant Cory Rodgers, Lance Leader for Battle Lance, Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 3rd Royal Guards was exultant. The Vipers had been caught flat-footed since their arrival on world. From all accounts, it looked as if they had had a complete intelligence failure like some of the surprises he had read about from his days at the Nagelring, like the Six Day War, or Pearl Harbor. _Thank Heaven we are the Israelis,_ he thought.

His neurohelmet was heavy and his neck muscles ached, but he had been pushing his _Pheonix Hawk_ as fast as he could manage it. The only Viper 'Mechs he had seen thus far were burning ones, as they had either run afoul of aerospace or artillery. The special operations guys were proving to be downright deadly with just a radio link to the artillery brigade. _And here I thought those redlegs would not amount to a damn thing?_

It was then that his threat alarms lit up, multiple claxons hooting for his attention as a dozen LRMs missed his 'Mech by meters, their smoke trails betraying the firer as they led back to the verdant woodline some 200 meters ahead.

 _Shit, Vipers, and from the MAD readings…heavies._

"Lance, this is lead, refuse the left, bound back to the cover about a click back and I am going to get battalion on the horn and have them dump some smoke on those bastards, make them come to us." As he did so, he worked the controls to backwalk the 'Mech, selecting a route that made sure he didn't skyline himself.

He got a flurry of acknowledgements as he keyed the frequency for the Battalion TOC "Alpha 6-1, this is Charlie 33, I have contact with what I estimate are Clan heavies, request support and mortar smoke, over?"

The radio crackled to life instantly, "33, hear your request, we are routing some help to you, ETA 10 minutes, we have priority of fires for you with the battalion mortars, and we are whistling up some more support as well, over?"

The sweat trickled down Rodger's face into his green eyes, which burned with a mix of terror and excitement. _10 minutes, that might as well be an eternity. Oh well, we can trade space for time, maybe we bag one of the bastards, maybe not. "_ 6-1, we may not last 10 minutes, there is at least 1-2 heavy mechs out there, and they out range us pretty good, either way, all we have is our T-bolt as a base of fire, I really need some help to discourage those guys, where the hell is that smoke, over?"

More klaxons sounded in the cockpit as the Clan 'Mechs cleared the woodline, the warbook cycled through images as it put red carets on the emerging targets. One was identified as a _Galahad,_ and emerging to it's left was a _Baboon,_ two others to its right were a _Hellhound_ and another _Baboon. Why didn't the Galahad open with her Gauss Rifles? Odd. Worse, the MAD was picking up 5 more contacts behind. Aw shit._ All of the Clan mechs were a malange of dark green, with scars and gouges from previous fights, and some mismatched metal patches where their techs had slapped some armor on to keep the machines running.

As if to answer the question, one of the _Galahad's_ Gauss Rifles spoke, missing by mere meters, and gouging a furrow out of a nearby patch of ground, sending dirt chunks dozens of meters into the air and splattering Rodgers's 'Mech.

His weapons, all Pulse lasers, were out of range, but considering the heaviest 'Mech in the lance was a _Thunderbolt_ , and it was probably already busy setting up a base of fire, and the rest of the 'Mechs collapsing the perimeter around it before withdrawing in a file behind it's guns. Or at least, that was the plan.

He heard the _thud-thud-thud-thud_ of an autocannon, probably Edgerton's _Centurion_ some 100 meters off to his left, trying to discourage a 'Tanker from getting around their flank, but they more than likely had the speed advantage.

"33, passing you over now to the FDC, their callsign is Starfire 12, over?"

"Roger, thank you 6-1. Starfire 12, how copy over?"

"Starfire 12 copies five by, understand you have some targets for me, over?"

"Roger that, I need a mix of smoke and HE at- "Rodgers glanced down at his rolling map display, and selected a point half a klick in front of him, towards the center of the slowly advancing clan line. "-Papa Alpha 44718932, mix of smoke and HE Super Quick, over?"

"Roger that 33, spotting round out shortly. Observe impact."

A few pregnant seconds passed, and then a small puff of smoke and dust as the round impacted, and then spewed a dirty orange smoke cloud, the new thermal smoke was designed to interfere with the superior Clan sensor systems, and reduce the fight to ranges where the FC forces could compete. So far, the rounds had done very well in that regard.

"Starfire 12, good shoot! Left 100, Drop 50, Fire for effect!"

"Roger that 33, firing for effect, we also have some other assets coming to the party shortly, hang in there 33!"

Roger's mech shuddered as it took a glancing blow from a Clan large laser, he knew if he took a few more of those, it was going to be the end of him, and as the rounds began to impact, the sky went from a verdant blue, to a world of dirty orange, as sensors began to fuzz over with static from interference from the smoke. The fire from the Clanners began to slacken off as they could not locate their targets, and they wandered slowly through the smoke, wary of close contact with their enemies.

Rogers continued to withdraw slowly, soon passing a familiar sight, the gold and blue painted _Thunderbolt_ of his Lance Senior NCO, Staff Sergeant Amy Wilkins, his radio crackled to life "Can't see shit sir, hope they can't either."

"Tag anybody Staff Sergeant?"

"Yeah, got a captured Shadow Hawk of theirs. PPC shot to the head, he went down, didn't get back up, or at least he didn't before the smoke came in."

It was at that moment that a _Guillotine IIC_ lurched drunkenly from the smoke, he was 90 meters away, as close as it got in 'Mech combat. It was trailing smoke from a mortar shell that had become wedged in it's right shoulder where it met the body, it froze the PPC arm in place at a 45-degree downward angle. The rest of the 'Mech was a patchwork of green and silver, blackened by weapons hits and exposure to smoke. And the 'warrior inside looked as if he could not tell where he was going.

Both the _Thunderbolt_ and _Phoenix Hawk_ turned as one and fired, azure beams of charged lightning and focused light linking killer and victim for a few tortured second as new gouts of melted armor sloughed off the _Guillotine IIC_. A gout of green liquid erupted from several places on the 'Mech, and a the 'Mech went down in a flurry of limbs.

"Seems the smoke has them a bit confused, Staff Sergeant?"

"Won't stay that way boss, we gotta bound back to the battalion, wait for the assaults to come up and crush these guys under artillery. No sense in playing 'blind man's bluff' in this smoke."

"Agreed, Staff Sergeant, let's get the Lance out of here. Bounding overwatch till we get clear, then travelling back to the battalion lines. And tell everyone to put some fire into the smoke, it will confuse the bastards some more."

"Charlie 33 this is Thor 24, understand you have a problem? Over?" the radio crackled.

Rodgers sighed in relief, he knew from the prelanding brief that any Thor call sign was artillery, and hopefully a lot of it.

"Thor 24, can you give me three volleys of HE, mix of contact and superquick? I am trying to break contact with a superior Viper force six klicks west of Objective Frankfurt?"

"33 roger, I have three volleys, I can give you one volley of SADM rounds, do you need that, over?"

"Thor 24, I would love that, please lay that on last. I will get my people clear in time, over."

"33 roger, these things make a hell of a mess. And they don't differentiate between friendlies and enemies. Observe our spotting round, Shot out, Over."

It wasn't long before something that sounded like a freight train from hell screamed over the withdrawing FC troops and impacted 100 meters in front of the advancing Clan enemy, who had now picked up the pace to "hug the belt" of the FC troops and thus avoid the worst of the artillery. The FC Lance had foreseen this, and began to turn and run, to put more distance between themselves and the Jade Falcons.

Rodgers triggered his jump jets, riding a pillar of fire that propelled his 'Mech into the air, and back 180 meters, keeping his face to the enemy, as he sent a blast from his Large Pulse Laser down range in the general direction of the enemy. The round had impacted right in front of the Falcon line of advance. It was perfect.

"Thor 24, Fire for Effect, make it rain!"

"33, roger, rounds out now, get your heads down, it's going to be close."

A few seconds later, a cacophony of freight trains passed over the heads of his lance. The passage of the shells was enough to rock his 'Mech and then the forward line of the smoke disappeared in a line of explosions, dust, dirt and small bushes disappearing in gouts of flame and smoke as they were hurled into the sky.

He saw a _Baboon_ stagger from the dust and smoke, it was missing most of it's left side. It didn't survive the second, as a 200mm round from a _Long Tom_ landed right on the 'Mech's shoulder. The blast blew through the left torso, which smashed the engine, and knocked the 'Mech down into the swirling smoke, where it was obscured by other explosions.

"Last volley, 33, get out of there!", the radio shrieked

SADB (Sense and Destroy BattleMech) rounds worked on the principle of that a Long Tom or Arrow IV warhead was filled with 30 bomblets, each with the power of an SRM warhead, and with a simple IR seeker attached. Once the carrier shell released the warheads, the warhead descended by parachute, and attacked the nearest 'Mech sized heat signature they could find. NAIS had found in testing that it had an alarming tendency to score head hits, and while 1 or 2 hits didn't usually penetrate the head, three or four did and considering a battery of six had just put 180 bomblets in the air…

It wasn't long before a series of pops, about as loud as a car backfire erupted over the 'Clan line. This was followed by a series of bangs and pops as the munitions found their targets and detonated. Rodgers thought he'd seen one Clanner eject, but he wasn't sure. There was just too much smoke, dirt, and explosions shrouding the Clan positions to know for sure. And he didn't intend to find out.

"Charlie 33 Lance, Charlie 33 Actual, all Charlie 33 Callsigns withdraw on me. We're getting out of here, and leaving this to the big boys. They're on their way. Actual Out."


	13. Plots Plans, and Contingencies

_IlKhan's Office_

 _Tamar City_

 _Tamar_

 _Wolf Clan Occupation Zone_

 _August 30_ _th_ _, 3056_

 _The Jade Falcons have met the Falconer…and he is taming them badly,_ mused Ulric Kerensky, ilKhan of the Clans, as he poured over the Wolf Watch reports from the Jade Falcon/Steel Viper OZ. He'd been reading the estimates generated by Star Captain Kerensky's people, and he was impressed with her insight. _I was right to sponsor her bloodright, with Conal Ward gone, Clan Wolf will need a new Loremaster, and I can think of none better. I will discuss this with Natasha when I get the chance. But not tonight. Tonight, is for far heavier things. Things I did not ever believe I would discuss._

His reverie was interrupted by a sharp tap at the door. "My Khan," a voice known to him as a member of his personal guard "Khan Kerensky and saKhan Ward of Clan Wolf are here to see you? Do I allow them entry?"

Ulric exhaled. _Time to as Phelan is often fond of saying "face the music"._ "Yes, allow them entry, Star Commander, then make sure we are not disturbed, I have a feeling this will be a long meeting."

"Aff, ovKhan, as you wish."

The door opened to reveal an older woman and a younger man, both in Clan Wolf leathers, the woman, though she had dyed her hair red, and her face was lined by the ravages of time, still walked with a regal bearing that signified her status among the Wolves, and Inner Sphere. She was the Black Widow herself, Natasha Kerensky, Khan of Clan Wolf, and all that came with it. She was death, personified. And yet, with all that, intimates knew her as both a "pain in the ass" and a "someone with an authority problem", which to Ulric, made her elevation to Khan both a way to honor her..and the best damn joke he had known in years. _I had always said, 'Tasha, that you would be Khan one day. And you told me "Over my dead body." Funny how that worked out. It seems all the dead bodies belong to everyone who stood in your way. But considering the nature of our little meeting, why is she wearing a smile?_

The young man on the other hand, was in a broad grin, and carrying a six pack of Timbiqui Dark. _And Phelan, like the Greek, bearing gifts. Uh-oh. Those two have a plan that will bring the Wolf Clan martial glory, and me a lot of headaches in the Grand Council. Perhaps they have not had a chance to read the intelligence estimates I just did?_

"Dammit Ulric, why so glum? We're seeing the humbling of the Falcons?" Natasha bellowed, her nature was always boisterous and loud, except in combat, which clearly, this was not. She made herself at home leaning against Ulric's work table in the far corner of the room. Phelan, on the other hand, took a seat on the maroon couch in the middle of the room.

"I would say that this has the potential to undermine all of Clan society, you two. This basically makes _Zellbrigen_ dead as horse cavalry." muttered Ulric.

"I dunno, Ulric. Perhaps this is the wakeup call the Clans needed. We didn't belong here. We still don't. And now, now little Victor, with no doubt help from Daddy is doing what we haven't, ripping the damn guts out the Crusaders once and for all?" Natasha mused.

Phelan's features pinched a little. He didn't agree completely with Natasha, and Phelan was a bit more forward thinking that she was. Not that she made a bad Khan by any means, but Phelan was often the one doing the leg work on the more "administrative" matters, like peacefully resolving the unrest on Tamar last year during the worst of the food shortages. _That had the potential to get nasty, Vlad, damn him, wanted to take 'Mechs and Elementals in and slaughter the protestors. He really doesn't have what it takes to be Khan, that one._

"You disagree, Phelan, quiaff?" Ulric queried

"Aff, Ulric. The Falcons and Vipers are being hit by massive levels of force and firepower. The FedCom's new "Artillery Brigades" are basically smothering them in fire..and then the FedCom mops up with combined arms. Sure, it's not a perfect solution. But Ulric, unless the Falcons and Vipers can goad the FedCom into a mobile engagement with at least some sort of parity in the numbers department, then all we are going to see is the defeat in detail of both Clans. The issues are, what comes after?"

"Phelan, what comes after? We do as we always have done. We win the right to absorb both clans and then we fight, I don't see a down side here. I never liked either clan particularly." Natasha smiled

"'Tasha, with respect, that's what is blinding you here. The Home Clans are going to see this as an excuse to turn on both Clans, and hell, maybe even us and the Bears, and maybe even kick us out of the homeworlds? I would not be surprised if abjuration or absorption motions would be on the table."

"They'd be nuts to try? I mean, ok, against the Falcons and the Vipers once Victor has stomped them into the ground. But really? All of us? The only Khan that is insane enough to try is Asa Taney of the Hellions, and what would he accomplish? The rest of the Clans would step aside and watch him fail. It would be amusing to watch him try, however." Natasha replied.

Ulric rose his hands in a gesture meant to bring some peace to the conversation. "'Tasha, Phelan, you are both right, and both wrong. I ken much chaos for the Clans if this offensive succeeds. And from the looks of it. It seems that it will. The FedCom has unleashed a concept the Clans have forgotten: Total War. We know the cost of it. The Great Founder knew it. That is why he made the Clans the way he did. But it seems, as much as we seek to avoid it, we are vulnerable to it. What I am afraid of, is how the rest of the Clans will react? And how in the world do I guide them through the rough seas to come?" Ulric then exhaled in a mixture of frustration and disgust.

Natasha shook her head. "We already do know, as we have said, they will go bonkers. The Vipers and Falcons will be absorbed..by someone, and good riddance, as for the rest of the Clans? The Jags will probably jump the Drac border. Probably manage to take Luthien this time, if we're lucky, the Jags and Dracs kill each other off and we get a better universe out of the bargain. As for the rest of the Clans? It pains me to say this Ulric, but back home will become a shooting gallery. Trials and counter-trials, and many of them might not bother to wait for you to weigh in?"

"You really think things would go to hell like that, 'Tasha?" Phelan opined.

"Yeah, kid, I do. We may see ourselves as the pinnacle of human development, guided benevolently by warriors bred and born, but the truth is? A lot of us act like ADD addled teenagers given the keys to dad's Battlemech, myself included at times. Vlad is the pinnacle of that, if you want an even better example. Say what you want about the Inner Sphere, but they just remembered that professional soldiers beat warriors every time. And they are demonstrating it to the Falcons and Vipers rather harshly.

But here comes the part that makes me convinced it's all going to hell in a handbasket, and fast once it becomes clear that a third of the invading clans just got their collective asses kicked? Clan society just had the rules changed, and for all our talk about "might makes right" and "making room for the future", we are a very conservative society. Our rules have not significantly changed since the Founder returned to the Pentagon worlds. The Clans have had a nasty habit of _killing_ people who proposed those rules change, and unless you are a warrior..you're not likely to survive long."

Phelan looked forlornly at Ulric, who nodded sadly.

"Phelan, the Wardens were always the more pragmatic faction of the Clans. We knew the Inner Sphere and our own society had diverged greatly in the intervening centuries. Once the Dragoons began to report in, we realized just how much. The Crusaders however, could not bring themselves to the intellectual honesty required to realize the "barbarians" really had a lot more guns than we did..and the willingness, it seems to use them.

But shocks me, and will shock the other Clans the most? Seeing mass surrenders by Jade Falcon and Steel Viper warriors! We have already seen it on Bone-Norman! 'Tasha? You and I have fought the Falcons many times, had you ever known the Falcons to surrender in such numbers?"

"Neg, Ulric, I haven't, but we never made the damn sky fall in on them." 'Tasha mused.

Phelan swore softly. "So what in the hell do we do? Surrender? Make a deal? Turtle up and hope that Victor doesn't drive on Tamar while he's at it stomping the hell out of two Clans?"

"I don't know Phelan, you actually know the Steiner-Davions better than anyone in this room. What sort of deal might they accept? What would it take to let us stay here in the Inner Sphere, and not be made into a dead part of history by FedCom arms. The people of the Inner Sphere have many reasons to be angry with us. We came without warning. We took what we wanted, we killed many, took many more as bondsmen never to be seen again. We may say it was all because we had the right to. And part of me still believes that, but according to our rules, as much as the FedCom has violated every martial tenet the Clans believe in, they still have applied the core of our beliefs: might makes right. And right now, their might makes them right. But they believe in something different. To them, we are the Nazis, the Huns, the Mongols, we are the faceless evil from beyond the Periphery to be destroyed. We are the people arrogant enough to think we are the master race."

"We never were, Ulric, you know that!" Natasha shouted.

"I do, 'Tasha, which is why I am a Warden. But this is going to damage irreparably the worldviews of a lot of Crusaders, who will be looking for someone to blame. They will default to their usual program, as it were, get in their 'Mechs and strike at us, or at any other likely target. It will be war on a scale not seen in the homeworlds for some time. And it will be seen as glorious…at first."

"I think I could use that beer, Ulric."

"As do I, Phelan. As do I, I think the lucky ones from all this may be the bondsmen the Federated Commonwealth take. At least they will have a future. The rest of us may not. In fact, I expect to receive notice that there will be a Trial of Grievance against me for the way I have handled things."

"Ulric, the Grand Council would at least allow you a trial?" Natasha's voice dropped to almost a whisper.

"No, they would not. They are angry. They see the burning Falcon and Viper 'Mechs, the proud standards of Falcon and Viper clusters brought low by nothing better than _freebirths,_ no offense, Phelan?"

"None taken, Ulric." Phelan smiled.

"And they see this, and they do not care one whit what the truth is, that we must evolve or die. They would see this as our social Armageddon, our Ragnorok, our Gotterdammerung. And they would act accordingly, with all the rules being off."

"Jesus, Ulric. If that is true…?" Natasha looked on in horror, her thoughts seeing the potential end of Clan society by its own fratricidal hand.

"Then we must take steps to survive it, as a clan, and as a society, and we must purge those elements who would bring this about..and do it quickly, before we all fall." Ulric's voice was like gravel, it rumbled softly and with an authority given to very few men. He looked at the other individuals in the room, and held their eyes.

"Till we all fall, my friends, we must do this, because Clan Wolf, heir of the Kerenskys, must survive the coming storm."

"Seyla" responded Natasha

"Seyla" added Phelan

"Seyla" as Ulric completed the ritual. "It is decided, whatever happens, the survival of our Clan is paramount, what happens to any of us is secondary. Phelan..let's break out that beer. I have a feeling we are going to need some as we figure out how in the hell we do survive this mess."

 _Private Chambers of the Chancellor_

 _Forbidden Palace_

 _Sian_

 _Capellan Confederation_

 _September 1_ _st_ _, 3056_

Sun Tsu Liao smiled thinly as he read over the readiness reports for his military. _The CCAF has reached a standard no one has seen since 2412, which incidentally, was the last time we actually launched an offensive. EAST SEA is a risky thing, but when will we ever get another opportunity? The Federated Commonwealth is feeling arrogant, and has it's back turned. We will never get another chance. If Shang is correct, another two weeks, and we will see their second wave kick off, which should allow us to strike against the lesser formations Davion has left behind. Delicious indeed._

He turned to his left, as a figure stirred beneath the sheets of his silk lined bed, her powerful frame a contrast from the delicate features of his wife. _And so much more alluring as it turns out._ Neither he, nor Alexa Shang had sought out some sort of relationship, but one had developed none the less. He liked her honesty, her patriotism, her bravery, and above all, her competence. _Perhaps, when this is all over, I shall elevate her to the position of concubine? She is far more appealing to spend my nights with than that flighty Marik woman._

As the form slowly woke up and stretched, her naked form was there for all to see, her almond skin shimmered in the morning light. Sun Tsu smiled hungrily "Alexa, my dear, did you sleep well?"

"Yes Celestial Wisdom, I did not expect-"

"No need for all that formality here. In these chambers, call me Sun-Tsu. I am happy you slept well, and frankly, I need you in top form. The time for EAST SEA nears." Sun-Tsu walked over to the night table, and fetched a comb, which he began to use to comb his hair back.

"I wished to speak to you about some parts of the plan, Cel-I mean Sun-Tsu?"

"Oh?"

"I am unsure about the special operation meant to introduce command paralysis amongst the Davions? My concern is of two parts. The first, is the nature of the operation. I may not be an intelligence professional, but might it be better to use our own people? These fanatics…unnerve me."

Sun-Tsu gave Alexa a dismissive wave "Alexa, calm yourself, we do not have enough assets to accomplish all we would like to prep the battlefield for EAST SEA. Sadly, I am forced to rely on these fanatics. At least, they are not my sister's fanatics. These people will get the job done..and we can remove them later from the table. Believe me Alexa, if we had a choice, I would not have dealt with them at all. But Marik demands I deal with them as part of his price. And they want Kittery for some reason. No matter to me, it was never really a Capellan world."

Alexa nodded, then continued. "And then there is the nature of the attack, Sun-Tsu, might we be opening ourselves open for some sort of blowback? Might they try to kill you in response?"

Sun-Tsu smiled "By the time they get around to that, their minor houses will have torn their grand alliance apart because the Steiner-Davion brood will be wiped from the Inner Sphere. No, Alexa, this is the blow my father and mother both were not audacious enough to strike, but I am. And now that we know the Dragoons are gone from Outreach, and that much of the troop strength the Davions were making us see was fiction, no, now is the time to strike. Who knows, perhaps these could be the last days of Davion? I doubt it. But a man, even a Chancellor can hope."

Alexa Shang felt a chill go through her. Her Chancellor, her lover had done the one thing she had hoped he wouldn't and that was launch an attack on the Federated Commonwealth based on hope of a potential outcome. Such a thing was bound to end badly, and there might not wind up being a Capellan Confederation when it was all said and done? But she owed her Chancellor and her State her loyalty. She was a good Capellan citizen, what else could she do?

"Oh, and Alexa, I intend to go with the Autumn Wind-4 option, We will attack from barracks. I say deny the Davions any intelligence until the last possible minute. And make sure we give a false set of timetables to the Mariks. I do not want them to leak a damn thing until we go."

"But Sun-Tsu? We are depending on many of those Marik units for some key first wave objectives."

"Do not worry Alexa, what we lack in numbers, we will make up for in shock, and surprise, and of course, the indomitable will of the Capellan fighting man."

This development chilled Alexa even more. _Has the legendary madness of the Liao line infected Sun-Tsu as well? Not at this critical hour for the Capellan state. No!_

But the questions continued to come unbidden for Alexa Shang as she slowly got dressed.

Sun-Tsu turned, and his almond colored eyes burned with an intense fire of both anger, and disappointment. "You failed, Alexa."

Alexa looked on surprised. "I failed? What was the test?"

"The only test that matters, Alexa, what is more important? Me, or the state?" Sun-Tsu sighed.

"I don't understand?"

"The failure is not completely yours, Alexa. You are a product of our training, where we expect absolute loyalty to the state as personified by the Chancellor. But by now, you should realize, the state is more important than any one chancellor. I cannot afford any mistakes in what is to come, Alexa. The madness on my part, was faked. The Capellan state must have sane, responsible, and canny leadership in the days to come. I will allow you this one misstep. If I act this way again, you are to shoot me...and then my sister. In a lockbox under the throne, there are specific instructions on what to do when I die. I entrust you to follow them to the letter."

"When you die, Sun-Tsu?"

"Alexa, I do not expect to survive this war. What I am about to unleash on the Davions, their family, all to gain even a momentary military advantage, is going to have them baying for my blood, but my life is worth it to save the Confederation a lifetime of supplication to the Federated Commonwealth. Our people must have their spine back. If it costs me my life, so be it."

"But Sun-Tsu, surely there is another way? Perhaps LONG MARCH is a better option..."

"No, Alexa. The people want to see our arms defeat the Davions, not their surrogates, who are Capellans as well. We need victory, and I will make any deal and pay any price to get it. If we can get to Sarna and Liao, I will fall down on my knees and thank my ancestors for us to be so lucky. I know the state of the CCAF. I know we rely a little too much on our benefactors, and my treacherous father in law, but what choice do we have?"

"None that I can see, Sun-Tsu."

"Then understanding has dawned in the student. I expect you to both learn and teach much in the coming days. Do not worry about the fanatics. I expect whatever they have planned, they do not expect to survive it. And as for us getting all the Davions? That was pure theater on my part. If we can get one or two, and have them chasing their tails when we cross the frontier for a week? I will be happy with that. I am finding military operations are like politics, all about the art of the possible."

"They are, Sun-Tsu."

Sun-Tsu nodded, She will not make the same mistake again. Good, I need at least one confidant I can rely on when the time comes, and when the person I expect to come, comes for me. Especially when I remove his mother from the table...


	14. Tangled Webs

_Lyran Commonwealth National Command Authority Relocation Site #18_

 _18km SSW of Otisburg_

 _Tharkad_

 _Donegal March_

 _Federated Commonwealth_

 _September 5_ _th_ _, 3056_

Field Marshal Nondi Steiner was on her 8th cup of coffee, running her fingers through her hair in frustration at both the logistical figures Poulin had sent back from the front, and the antics of her young aide. _That Sanderlin kid is going to make me old. Ok, Victor, I took him on your recommendation, but seriously? His trying too hard may be the thing that finally gets me to retire. God? Was I like that once?_

Sanderlin had recently been given back his commission for meritorious conduct under fire just before Clover Spear kicked off, and was told directly, take the bars and the staff job that went with it, in a note signed by Victor himself. _Cannot blame Victor for wanting to save one of his academy friends. From what I hear, thanks to the Clans, there aren't too many of them left._

She read over the report Sanderlin had written on Poulin's requests. So far, his supply expenditures were outstripping even the most pessimistic projections by a factor of 2, especially on the consumables side. _Modern war eats ammunition, food, water, and fuel like a wolf eats rabbits. And it spits out death. Death to our young people, and death to theirs. Hell of a business I am in, eh Katrina. God I miss you. I should have retired after you died, but your son in law asked me to stay on for a while, and so did Victor. Poulin is doing a fine job, but if current expenditures stay the same, we might run out of tube artillery rounds by the end of the year. Jesus, I hope we have dealt with the damn Vipers and Falcons by then_

She moved on to the operational side of the briefing. So far, resistance had been spotty. Much of that had been due to the fact that the Clans had been caught by surprise, where they could, they had fought hard, but so far..so good, as total casualties for the AFFC thus far was in the 10,000 range for dead and wounded. She never thought she'd ever see those numbers for something this big. _It's still a tragedy for every family that gets the HPG and the visit from the Casualty Assistance Section of the local militia. God, let this be over soon._

She turned her attention to the projected 2nd Wave targets. _It's ambitious as hell hitting both Clan OZ capitols now, but I want to shock the damn bastards to their core, and so does Poulin. We may have to employ TREMBLER on Sudeten, god I hope we don't, or SUNRISE. Either one is going to send the Clans into a small frenzy, but honestly, if they are that stupid, we can do some of what we probably should have done after that little temper tantrum on that Drac world._

There was a knock at the door. Nondi glanced at her wrist chrono. _LIC with their intelligence brief. Always right on time._

"Enter!" she bellowed, her voice sounding harsher than she had wanted it to.

A non-descript fellow in AFFC uniform, with MI insignia on the collar and the epaulets of a Leftenant entered the office carrying an oversized briefcase. After rendering courtesies, he stated "Good morning, mam. Could you please place your hand on the marked pad and speak your name for receipt of the enclosed package?"

Nondi nodded and did as instructed. "General Nondi Steiner, Duchess Gallery and Commanding General of the Lyran State Command. Service Number RA117459." The case clicked open in response, the pad glowing green.

"Thank you, General. Soon as I record this, may I depart?" The courier then produced a small recorder and stated, "Copy 6 of 10 of Threats and Intentions report on Clans Jade Falcon and Steel Viper delivered to General Nondi Steiner delivered personally at 0821:25. Identity verified."

"Dismissed, Leftenant. And tell your boss I don't like your couriers in uniforms they didn't earn the right to wear."

The courier blanched. "General Steiner, I am not one to step out of line, or correct a General Officer out of turn, but I am a graduate of CMA, class of '41."

"You are? Then where the hell is your school rag?"

"Orders from General Karlberg. We don't wear them. Nor our class rings. It's too much information to any potential enemies."

Nondi gritted her teeth. "You see combat, Leftenant?"

"Yes mam, on Twycross. My whole lance got shot to pieces, and I was medically evacuated after they blew my _Banshee_ out from under me. I have a TBI, so I can't pilot a 'Mech anymore. Still a reservist, but I am a staff officer with the militia on Tharkad, officially."

Nondi smiled "Ok, just wanted to make sure you were at least somewhat legitimate, Leftenant. Dismissed." as she waved her hand as if to shoo him away.

Once the Leftenant departed, she thumbed a button on her desk that shut off all recording devices and engaged a white noise generator. It could only be turned off by her once engaged.

The pages were crisp, white paper, with stark lettering, and LIC's writing style left little room for fluff.

She scanned the pages, and found little had changed from last week, and if anything, it seemed the Jade Falcons and Steel Vipers had…

It was the Sudeten entry had stopped her speed reading.

She reread the offending paragraph, now burning itself into her brain:

"..Two Jade Falcon warships have entered the Sudeten system in the last 96 hours. (95% reliability), ships are identified as the _Hawker_ of the Sovietskii Soyuz-class (95% reliability) plus one Aegis class Cruiser (90% reliability), name unknown. Both ships are in geosynch orbit as part of a routine patrol from the Periphery, and are reportedly taking on supplies and rotating crews. (90% reliability). "

"Jesus" she muttered and she continued to read the document. It was another paragraph that had her fumbling for her noteputer:

"..a new hardened bunker of some kind has been completed in the vicinity of the largest island in the Jarho chain (95% reliability). Its purpose is unclear at this time, but we suspect that it is either a relocation site for the Jade Falcon Khans (70% reliable) or a C3 site of some kind (30% reliable). We suspect there is a stronger case for the former possibility as we have noticed a separate HPG system being installed at the site during construction. (See Appendix A3, Overhead Imagery of unknown site on Sudeten, taken 6th September 3056).

Nondi cursed again. "I am going to have to give Poulin permission for both SUNRISE and TREMBLER after all, damn it all. Better let Victor and Hanse know as well. Shit..there went my day.."

 _Clan Smoke Jaguar Forward Headquarters_

 _10km from Courant City_

 _Albiero_

 _Clan Smoke Jaguar Occupation Zone_

 _September 24th, 3056_

 _0445 hours Local_

Khan Lincoln Osis flexed his muscles slightly as he continued to read the reports taken from the Wolf Watch. _The Trial of Possession was worth it, in retrospect, but it was bloody, only one survivor of the binary from the 6_ _th_ _Dragoons I sent to get the reports. But their information was, illuminating, to say the least._

The report's conclusions were stark. The ersatz Star League that the sphereoids had formed, the "Federated Commonwealth" was rolling over the Falcons and Vipers as if they were tissue paper warriors, and the freebirths were using more than a few honorless tactics to do it. _Massed artillery fire, overwhelming force, no zellbrigen, and guerillas? All of this is without any honor at all, but the Falcons and Vipers did little but lick their wounds, and assume, in their haughty ignorance, that the Sphereoid scum would cower in fear of the "almighty Falcons". And worse, the Vipers agreed._

Osis did not know who in the hell to laugh at first. So, he split the difference, and chuckled mirthlessly at the predicament both clans found themselves in. He rubbed his brow with his left hand, and rubbed his eyes again, as he continued to read the report. _If I had known how deadly dull this report was, I would have had Brandon Howell read it and summarize it for me. The Wolves kill with words, and call themselves "clanlike."_

But the report's conclusions, even to Osis, were sound. The Falcons and Vipers were in the early stages of military collapse, and the FedCom was using every weak point in both Clans to shove them over the edge of disaster. _Not that such things would apply to the Jaguars. I would almost welcome the so-called Federated Commonwealth attempting such a thing here. My warriors would make short work of it. The "fearsome" DCMS has proven to be nothing more than a momentary impediment on the way to Terra, we would already be there, if not for Kerensky, and his damn deal with that so-called religious order known as ComStar. It is a good thing I had those robed idiots we captured off that jumpship back in '48 mind wiped BEFORE we gave them back. I cannot say too many other ComStar POWs have been so lucky. Then again, it has given my elementals valuable practice._

Osis grinned at that last thought. His methods had begun to suppress the Combine backed guerillas, but at a cost, and he believed it was mostly because the Combine was not able to continue to both fund their efforts, and rebuild the DCMS. That said, they did enough to keep them busy.

Osis leaned over and pushed a button on his noteputer: "Kelmar, attend to me."

At once, a knock came at the door. "Enter", Osis barked.

The heavy blast door opened with a clank, and a whine as metal creaked, a slender figure entered, his blue eyes large and his sandy blond hair and his light complexion and lithe features reflected his aerospace fighter pilot phenotype. His skin was impregnated with grey linear tattoos, outward reflections of Kelmar's fanatical devotion to Clan Smoke Jaguar, as well as his submission to DNI surgery. "Aff my Khan, what is your bidding?", he bellowed as he came to attention and saluted.

"Kelmar, how sharp are the Jaguar's claws, would you say, are we ready to crush the Combine?"

"As sharp as ever, ovKhan, our warriors clamber at another chance to teach the Combine who the better warriors truly are." Kelmar answered.

Osis grinned satisfactorily. "Good, I expected as much. Summon all the Galaxy Commanders for a meeting here in three weeks' time. I want to go over our plans to hit the Combine, especially for plan to finally take Luthien. We will take it, then burn it to ash, and then rename it DeChaviller, as the Combine helped the usurper, Kelmar. Examples must be made."

Kelmar simply nodded.

There was another knock at the door. "ovKhan, there is news about the sphereoid offensive against the Jade Falcons and Steel Vipers. Their second wave has begun."

Osis smiled wider. "Kelmar, move up that meeting a week. We cannot wait, and I intend to act before those timid souls led by that king sheep, Kerensky blather on about Clan unity and try to get us into some idiotic plan to save the Falcons and Vipers from their own stupidity."

Kelmar nodded again. "It shall be done, ovKhan."

 _Location Unknown_

 _Date Unknown_

The man was nude, and his features were ordinary, he was of ordinary height, and weight. But his eyes, his eyes were empty of anything like a soul, or a conscience. He hadn't started out that way. He had a name, once. But those days had been purged from his memory. His life before, according to his instructors, had no meaning, only what he was told to do.

He sat in the middle of a white featureless room, his meals and simple needs brought to him between missions, when he was sent out into the world to wreak havoc on behalf of the better world promised by the Blessed Blake, a world he was helping to make happen. Such thoughts elicited the rare smile, a smile that was terrible to behold.

A slot formed as if by magic in the door, and a small envelope, about 40cm by 30cm in size, white, with the Blakist broadsword on it in the upper right corner passed through and fluttered slowly to the floor of the room. The man waited until the envelope had reached the floor, then quietly rose and walked over to the envelope, and opened it with a minimum of effort.

Assignments were always a picture of the target. He was an assassin. He never did bombings or kidnappings. Any photo he ever got, the target was meant to be killed, and he would do the job regardless of the opposition. He had never failed, and never been caught. He would be proud of that, if he were capable of it.

He removed the photo from the envelope, and turned it over to reveal the beaming faces of Hanse Aadrian Davion, and Melissa Steiner-Davion. _This should be a true test of my abilities,_ the man thought.


	15. Exile

_Offices of the First Prince Emeritus_

 _Royal Palace_

 _New Avalon_

 _Crucis March, Federated Commonwealth_

 _September 8_ _th_ _, 3056_

 _I hate what I have to do, but for the good of the realm, I have to do it._ Hanse grimaced as he thought over the words that he had rehearsed mentally for weeks before this day. It was a beautiful early fall day on New Avalon, clear blue skies, bit of a clean breeze that wafted through the palace. But all Hanse could think about was the horrible things he was going to have to say to an old friend, one whom had rendered innumerable services to the Commonwealth, and one whom had given his only brother to save his then-fiancé.

 _This is so much worse than when I found out the truth about Michael._ Hanse mused. He felt a slight twinge in his chest, and though he was tempted to reach for his heart pills, he soon shut the thought out of his mind. He knew his body, and he knew he was going to get through this. _I am of sterner stuff than this._ Victor had offered to do this, so had Melissa, but the fact was, politically, he could not see any other alternative to himself. _And he wouldn't accept it from anyone else but me and Katrina. And Katrina's gone, so it's just me._

There was a knock at the door. "Your highness, Duke Kell has arrived for his one pm audience, shall I admit him?"

Hanse bellowed "Yes, and see we aren't disturbed afterwards." Hanse shook himself mentally as he said that a bit harsher than he had intended. _That young man did not deserve your anger, Hanse, and you know it._ The voice in his head that said it sounded suspiciously like his father, Andrew. _Dad's been gone a long time. I suppose he'd approve of what we've built here._

The door opened and a man of imposing height entered, his physique told of a man who had still put himself through a brutal exercise regimen, and remained ready for battle, even though he hadn't been in a 'Mech in two years. His ducal clothes spoke of a simple finery, as he was not a man of ceremony, but a man who had made his reputation on the battlefield, as a mercenary, fighting the enemies of the Commonwealth for longer than there HAD been a Federated Commonwealth. His 'Mechwarrior's spur's jangled, and his faded blue school rag fluttered in the breeze as he entered the room and his long mane of grey hair framed his face, currently an expressionless mask. But Hanse noted his eyes. His eyes said sorrow, and determination, and intelligence, and experience, all rolled up into something that made Morgan Kell unique, and by the reports of some, unkillable.

 _Not so sure I believe that last part, but I think we're both a bit old to be hopping into simulators to prove it, eh? Then again, with what I have to tell him, he might want to do it for real once I am done. God, he is a loyal soldier who we have counted on time and again. I inducted him into the Order of Davion. Victor and Katherine gave him those spurs.. and the right to wear them as thanks for decades of loyal service, and now, this is how we thank him._

"Hello Morgan," Hanse smiled thinly, "Please, sit down. Can I have the palace staff get you anything?"

Morgan did as he was asked, shaking his head no as he sat. "I am on my way to a reunion of some of the gang from Mallory's World. Not many of us left. But, I got your message, Hanse. I cannot imagine why it is so important for you to send for me to come incommunicado."

Hanse nodded. "I am sorry, Morgan for the bit of skullduggery, but it's important, and sadly, it affects your family. Namely, your son."

Morgan grimaced knowingly. His brows deepened as he frowned, and the light in his eyes danced with both shame, and anger.

"I think you know why we are here, Morgan."

Morgan nodded. "I do, Hanse, and I think it very astute for them to ask you to be the one to have this conversation with me."

Hanse nodded, and handed over a series of still pictures taken from what appeared to be a BattleROM recording. The timestamp was 11 November, 3051, Tamar, Federated Commonwealth. It was from a _Quickdraw_ of the 26th Lyran Guards, and had a _Thor_ in its gunsights, but to the left of the reticule, was a _Wolfhound,_ in a very distinctive scheme. _Phelan. It could not be anyone else._ Subsequent stills showed the _Wolfhound_ firing on the _Quickdraw_.

Hanse let Morgan take the photos in for a few moments. "Morgan, these photos came to light two years ago. We'd always been willing to overlook Phelan's activities with Clan Wolf, because he was a mercenary, rather than a sworn member of the AFFC, but these photos are going to make the lead story tomorrow on DBC. We just found out last night. We've asked them to delay for 48 hours for us to have this talk with you."

"Why, Hanse, you're just going to try him for treason in absentia, and then have him shot if you ever get his hands on him? And you're asking me to publicly support this, no?"

Hanse shook his head. "No, Morgan, we aren't. I had a long chat with Victor, my wife, Katherine, Quintus, and Ardan on what the hell to do about this. Fact is, DBC is forcing us to do something. And right now, with us doing well against the clans, _thus far…_ "

"The people want blood?"

"Precisely, I have people outside the palace every day here on both New Avalon and on Tharkad with placards of their missing children demanding we start putting the screws to Falcon and Viper bondsmen till we get the whereabouts of their kids. And for us not to do anything about Phelan? It would be political dynamite, especially in Tamar."

"So Hanse, you're going to ask me to sacrifice my son for the sake of the Commonwealth?"

Hanse nodded yes. "But I won't have him killed or kidnapped, so long as he stays in the Wolf OZ. I furthermore promise you that, so long as he refrains from setting foot in the Commonwealth ever again, he has nothing to fear, unless he takes up arms against us. If he is taken alive, he will be arrested for treason, and aid and comfort to an enemy in time of war. If that happens, I do at least promise he will get the best representation in the Commonwealth, and a fair trial in the Davion half. He couldn't get one in the Steiner half."

"And you expect me to tell him that?"

"Yes, Morgan, I do. I expect you to tell him because otherwise, Victor's hand will be forced, and it could cause a crisis in the Lyran half of the Commonwealth. I don't want that, and I don't think you do either."

Morgan swore softly, _Dammit Hanse, you are right. And sadly, this is the best deal Phelan can probably expect. At least he won't be kidnapped by Loki or MI-6 and dragged back here in chains. And who knows, maybe we can go visit him? This is of course, assuming that the Wolves are allowed to stay in the Inner Sphere?_

"Damn you, Hanse. I agree. But know this, you're asking me to participate in the exile of my own son. A son I named after the brother I lost saving the life of your wife. You must acknowledge that much." Morgan's eyes glistened with unshed tears, tears he was too proud to shed in front of Hanse Davion.

Hanse nodded "I know Morgan, and if Victor and I had another choice, we would. But there isn't any. And you know it, Morgan. We cannot protect him, especially when these BattleROM stills come out."

"May I have a moment, Hanse, alone? I'd like to think about what to say to my son?"

Hanse nodded, and made to step out into the hall. He stopped for a moment, and turned to Morgan. "Morgan, for what it's worth. I am sorry. I wish there were another way, but there isn't." He then opened the door and stepped out into the hall, the door closing with a quiet click that sounded like the most mournful sound imaginable to Morgan. It was like losing Patrick all over again.

The tears and sobs came on suddenly, Morgan bit his hand to prevent his moans of sorrow from escaping. _My son, the traitor? What did I do wrong? What the hell did Salome and I do wrong? Where did we fail you, Phelan?_ Morgan soon collapsed on the leather couch, soon, he was caring who heard his sorrow.

Hanse overheard the cries from the hall, and stopped the senior guard who made for the door. "No, Captain Alstead. Give him whatever time he needs and please make sure the staff fulfills his every wish, he is a patriot, and he didn't deserve this. But a man like Morgan Kell deserves his private pain. We owe it to him to let him mourn, and we shall do so, clear?"

The entire guard force came to attention and semi-shouted "Clear, Your Highness!" as one.

"Now, to find my wife. I could so use a goddamned drink right now."


	16. Glory and Folly

Taken from the daily FC operational briefing provided to Field Marshal Ranier Poulin, Supreme Commander of "Operation Clover Spear", declassified October 9th, 3076.

"Actions against Jade Falcon and Steel Viper units continue to be favorable, Jade Falcon units have begun to retreat rather than allow us to apply the full weight of our firepower, but Steel Viper units, for the most part, still try to resist in place, with certain exceptions (see Goat Path and Waldorff). We are facing a bit of an artillery ammunition crunch, and I would ask that we postpone Wave 3 by 15 days to allow our logistics to keep up. I am also aware, your highness, that there is the potential for a Steel Viper counterattack (see attached G-2 addendum re: Steel Viper buildup on Twycross). We have wargamed this possibility here, and we do expect that this is something we can counter."

A summary of the status of the Second Wave is below:

Somerset

Attackers: 26th Lyran Guards RCT, 17th Skye Rangers, 2 Independent Artillery Brigades.

Defenders: None

Results: Somerset fell within 36 hours, with few shots fired except for a short skirmish at the site of the Military Academy of Somerset, where a small Jade Falcon sibko was smashed in a 12-hour running battle through the Academy live fire ranges. The planet was secured within the week.

Waldorff

Attackers: 1st and 2nd Davion Guards RCTs, Davion Assault Guards RCT, 6 Independent Artillery Brigades.

Defenders: 9th and 10th Fang, Clan Steel Viper

Results: The fighting for Waldorff was bitter right from the initial landing, with the Steel Vipers making counterattack after counterattack against the teeth of the FC landings. The Vipers then fought a rear guard through the streets of Waldorff City before they withdrew off-world to Twycross.

Graus

Attackers: 7th Crucis Lancers RCT, Davion Light Guards RCT, 4 Independent Artillery Brigades.

Defenders: 38th and 71st Phalanx, 4th Viper Guards (60% Strength), Clan Steel Viper

Results: The fighting for Graus was the worst of the 2nd Wave thus far. The Vipers dug in around Garros Spaceport and held it for 2 weeks before they were annihilated almost to the man. FC casualties were heavy, with the Davion Light Guards having lost one of its three battlemech battalions, and a pair of armor battalions. The 7th Crucis took heavy casualties in one of its battlemech battalions. The Spaceport has sustained 75% damage and will take up to a month to repair to a minimum standard to accept cargo and supplies. It will take upwards of a year to rebuild the site completely.

Blackjack

Attackers: 1st Aragon Borderers, 1st Federated Suns Armored Cavalry, Hansen's Roughriders, 1st Robinson Rangers, 5th Davion Guards, 8 Independent Artillery Brigades

Defenders: 80th Fang, Clan Steel Viper

Results: In a 24-hour running fight around the ruins of the old Academy, the 1st Federated Suns Armored Cavalry and Hansen's Roughriders handily destroyed the 80th Fang. More than a few prisoners were taken in the end as the unit's morale collapsed with the death of Star Colonel Jessup.

Malibu

Attackers: Grey Death Legion, 3rd Crucis Lancers RCT, 2 Independent Artillery Brigades

Defenders: 124th Striker Cluster, Clan Jade Falcon

Results: The 124th Striker Cluster had taken the time to fortify a position overlooking Malibu City in a series of low hills and gullies. The Grey Death Legion and 3rd Crucis Lancers showed little hesitation in going in and getting them. The fighting lasted 2 weeks and after the 124th lost 40% casualties, the 124th withdrew off world for Beta VII.

Goat Path

Attackers: Lindon's Regiment, 8th and 10th Deneb Light Cavalry RCT, 4 Independent Artillery Brigades

Defenders: 126th Striker Cluster, Viper Fusiliers, Clan Steel Viper

Results: The Steel Viper garrison showed a lot more courage than sense, counterattacking the FC LZ within minutes of the landing, but after initially inflicting 10% casualties on the 8th Deneb Light Cav, the 10th and Lindon's Regiment landed behind the Viper advance, and proceeded to squeeze them against the lines of the 8th. To the credit of the Vipers, they managed to fight their way clear to their dropships, after suffering 40% casualties.

Sudeten, Part 1

Attackers: 2nd and 3rd Royal Guards RCT, 11th Avalon Hussars RCT, 2nd Chisholm's Raiders, Wolf's Dragoons (all 5 Regiments), 8 Independent Artillery Brigades

Defenders: Jade Falcon Guards, 8th Falcon Regulars, Doberung Garrison Cluster, Clan Jade Falcon

Special Events: CJFS Emerald Talon and CJFS Blue Talon attacked by nuclear weapons delivered by FC Aerospace fighters. Emerald Talon destroyed, Blue Talon badly damaged, withdraws to Parakoila.

Results: The two-week fight for Sudeten was a lopsided affair from the beginning, with the Jade Falcons under heavy pressure as they tried to stall for the Jade Falcons to evacuate their capitol. During the final fight, just north of Hammar, the Falcon line was split in two in a seam between the Doberung and the Jade Falcon Guards. The frontline clusters withdrew towards the spaceport, taking heavy casualties as they withdrew off world to Parakoila. The Doberung Garrison Cluster, also took heavy casualties as they managed to stay one step ahead of the FC advance, and stole several civilian ferries to evacuate themselves to a newly built alternate command center on Maakar Island, the largest island in the Johar chain.

The FC cut off the island, and began to take it under heavy bombardment, but the facility was confirmed by intelligence reports as rivaling a Castle Brian. Worse, it was confirmed that saKhan Vandervahn Chistu was leading the defense himself. An ultimatum was presented to the garrison on the 6th of October 3056, by Jamie Wolf himself. It was summarily rejected.

La Grave

Attackers: 10th Lyran Guards RCT, 6th Syrtis Fusiliers RCT, 4th Royal Guards, 6 Independent Artillery Brigades

Defenders: 1st Falcon Jagers, 10th Talon Cluster, 124th Striker Cluster, Clan Jade Falcon

Results: Star Colonel Bjarn Folkner of the 1st Falcon Jagers ordered a general withdrawal as soon as the FC forces made planetfall, taking his own command star to fight a duel according to the rules of Zellbrigen to stall for the rest of Jade Falcon forces to withdraw off world to Colmar. The duel went poorly for the Falcons, as one Kai Allard-Liao, Kommandant, 10th Lyran Guards, killed three of the five Clan 'Mechs to win the duel for the Federated Commonwealth.

Wotan

Attackers: 21st Striker, and 151st Light Horse, ELH, 1st Kearny Highlanders, 20th Arcturan Guards RCT, 2 Independent Artillery Brigades

Defenders: None

Results: The collaborationist government on Wotan gave up without a shot fired.

 _Condor class Dropship Leftanant Harvey Bouan, Federated Commonwealth Navy_

 _Atmosphere of Malibu, currently 125,000 feet AGL_

 _0335 Hours, September 24_ _th_ _, 3056_

 _Jade Falcon Occupation Zone_

" _..I will by the end of the night, bury this knife to the hilt in the blackest Falcon heart on Malibu. Let's let these goddamned pidgeons know who they decided to screw with!"_

 _-Kommandant Megan Lucas, Commander, 2_ _nd_ _Battalion, 3_ _rd_ _Crucis Lancers Jump Infantry, 3_ _rd_ _Crucis Lancers RCT_

The dropship buffeted in Malibu's thick atmosphere as the "Harvey B." as she was affectionately known to her crew and passengers alike, rocked and shimmied like an epileptic snake through the planetary atmosphere at speeds approaching Mach 4.

All _Leftenant_ Mike Henley, Platoon Leader for 1st Platoon, Bravo Company, 2/3rd Crucis Lancers Jump Infantry could think of was that perhaps he should have become a 'Mechwarrior. _No, I had to be a pogogrunt like dear old Uncle Fred was in the 4_ _th_ _War._ He'd graduated with honors early last year from Goshen's OCS, and had only just joined the 3rd Crucis Lancers RCT last month.

It was his first command, and from the word go, it had been an uphill battle to get through the day without embarrassing himself in front of his men, let alone his company commander. His performance on one night route march back on Pasig had earned an epic ass chewing that had questioned everything from his intelligence to his parentage, to even what kind of graduates were leaving Goshen these days, all laced with profanity Henley had never heard in his life. _Hauptmann_ Wainright already didn't like him, Wainright had come up through the ranks, earning a commission during the Clan Invasion with the 42nd Avalon Hussars, and losing a lot of friends in the bargain. And, near as Henley could figure? Wainright hadn't bet much on Henley lasting much past the initial drop.

Emotions had been running high before the "Harvey B." had undocked from the jumpship and began a high G run to the planet. They'd arrived only yesterday at a pirate point, and the pirate point had been close, with the high-G transit only taking 8 hours to reach atmosphere. Word was there was a full-fledged uprising already going on against the Falcons on world, with some rumoring that MI-6 or Loki had something to do with it. In short, they'd be too busy putting down the rebels to do much about the incoming FedCom invasion force, or so that was the hope.

It had been emotional before the undocking, with pre-battle speeches being played over wallscreens by Marshal Zardetto, who's gravelly, fatherly voice had stated in part: "We've come back, as we promised, and our people's eyes will be upon us. We come bringing freedom from the Clans. I expect every man and woman in this RCT to do their duty to the utmost. Don't fail our Archon-Prince, don't fail the Commonwealth, and more importantly, don't fail our regiment, our family."

His battalion commander, a red-headed petite female Kommandant, with fiery green eyes and a voice like thunder by the name of Lucas had given a far more bloodthirsty speech.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, all we will have is each other when we hit that slipstream. We do this for love, love of our nation, love of our families left behind whom we do not want the Clans dictating to. And most of all? We do this for love of each other. We are Lancers. And we do not break promises to each other. And I promise you this.." she then pulled a wicked looking jump knife from a sheath clipped to her LBE suspenders running vertically across her left torso and held the knife aloft over her head "..I will by the end of the night, bury this knife to the hilt in the blackest Falcon heart on Malibu. Let's let these goddamned pidgeons know who they decided to screw with!".

There were many loud bellows of "H-Minus", which was the regiment's motto in response. But that had been three hours ago, As Henley looked around the cabin, he took in the sight while he still could. The troop bay was bathed in a red glow from both the battle lighting, and the glow of the excited atmosphere interacting with the ship as it reentered. Men and women alike were sporting mohawks and shaved heads. Everybody had painted faces, most in camo patterns, but some had alleged tribal sigils painted in whatever materials had been available. Everyone was as the regimental sergeant major put it "amped up for this drop."

One of his snipers named Pelley from Zavijava had decorated his Federated Long Rifle in tribal beads promising Henley "Don't worry LT, we're going to take many scalps today. The Great Father is with us." That young man was currently asleep…smiling. He was 19, with dark caramel skin, almond eyes, and had a wicked looking club attached to the side of his assault pack on his waist.

Horns began to hoot as the red "ready" light clicked on, announcing they were 5 minutes out from the LZ, with jumpmasters bellowing "5 minutes." A loud mechanical whine soon sounded, announcing the dropship door was sliding open. Kommandant Lucas grinned ferally. "Hook up! Stand up! Shuffle to the door! H-Minus!" she shouted.

The entire bay roared as one over the sound of the slipstream passing the dropship's hull and over the cacophony of hundreds rising to their feet, weighed down by parachutes and all the other gear paratroopers took into battle.

"H-MINUS!"

 _Jade Falcon Alternative Command Post_

 _Maakar Island_

 _Sudeten, Jade Falcon Occupation Zone_

 _October 6_ _th_ _, 3056_

 _It looks like the surface of a moon._ Jamie Wolf observed from the deck of the white-painted passenger hovercraft as it neared the island. His field glasses noticed that other than the concrete above ground, there was nothing the FC artillery and air raids had left standing. The above ground parts of the bunkers themselves had been savaged, with multiple hits having been scored, concrete scoured, and rebar being torn and twisted, but still, the bunkers were mostly structurally sound.

 _I am unclear as to why Marshal Bradford chose me as the emissary for the surrender demand. To the Jade Falcons, I am a dezgra Wolf and a traitor to the Way of the Clans. I cannot think of an emissary more likely to anger Chistu, if that is Chistu in there. Why he would remain when most of the Falcon forces quit Sudeten is beyond me?_

Wolf turned and gazed at Maeve Wolf, the field Commander of the Dragoons. She was projecting an air of serene calm, her hands clasped behind her back, standing a little to the left and rear of Jamie. Brian Cameron, his ADC, was adjusting the collar of his field jacket for what seemed like the ninth time. All were dressed in the Wolf Dragoons field uniform, which consisted of grey-black tunic, with a field jacket in the same color that had Kevlar lining, and matching trousers, with subdued red piping that was almost maroon in color. As befitting a party under a flag of truce, they were of course..unarmed. It left Jamie feeling naked, and for the second time in his life, a bit nervous. But he was an experienced commander, and poker player, and hid his feelings behind a mask all commanders soon learned to wear.

"Nervous Brian?" Jamie quipped, noticing Brian's struggles with the collar of his field jacket.

"Aff, Commander Wolf. I must admit that Falcons are being pushed into a corner. One where they'd happily take us prisoner and execute us after a short kangaroo court for 'betraying the Clan way. I fear for your safety, sir.'"

Maeve nodded in agreement, her raven hair catching the early morning light as her hazel eyes shone with concern for her commander, and friend. "Sir, this is just such a bad idea, I do not know where to begin. I am not saying Marshal Bradford has ill intent toward us…"

"…but you think he doesn't really understand the Clans like we do, is that it?" Jamie finished, his grey eyes boring into Maeve, half-daring her to challenge his position, knowing she would do exactly that.

"Beyond the AFFC briefs, I doubt it, sir. There is a bit of 'victory disease' gripping the AFFC right now." Cameron interjected.

"Why the hell didn't the FC just offer them _hegira?"_ Maeve asked, a bit of indignation creeping into her voice.

"We can't, Maeve. After what we have seen passes for Falcon 'counter-insurgency' methods? We clansmen used to shrug in the wake of the Falcons and their indoctrination sweeps. We'd always say, 'that's Falcon business.' The FedCom feels differently. And, after what I saw with those ferrymen? I cannot completely blame the FC. Natasha might have had a point returning to the Wolves."

"You don't really think that, do you Jamie?" Maeve asked, a hand on her genefather's shoulder more of emotional concern than any physical support.

"Neg, Maeve. But the FC has blood in their eyes right now, and we of the Wardens warned those addled idiot Crusaders that this was going to be the end result of their precious attempt to make good little Clansmen out of the Inner Sphere. Great Father help the Clans if the Inner Sphere ever gets the data to guide them to the homeworlds."

"You think it would come to that, Jamie?" Maeve inquired.

"If it were Victor or Hanse making the decision? No. It would not. But someone else I haven't gotten the measure of? Or worse yet, someone whom I do know very well, like say, Nondi Steiner? She would glass the homeworlds in a heartbeat. And no, we are too few to do a damn thing about it. But if that were to happen, it would begin a genocide not seen since the First Succession War." Jamie winced at that last thought.

"So, try to be the angel on the FC's shoulder, even if they are Falcons and Vipers?" Cameron quipped.

"Aff, Captain, Aff." Jamie mused darkly.

The rest of the ride was conducted in an uncomfortable silence between the three, considering what was probably the very dangerous nature of their task.

The silence was soon interrupted by the engines downshifting and a thump as the hovercraft slid onto the beach of Maakar Island. Soon, the world became a mixture of mist and the hissing of a deflating GEV skirt as the hovercraft slid to a stop just far enough into avoid getting caught in the tide.

"It appears we have arrived, ladies and gentlemen, we should get on with our errand?" Jamie inquired of his companions.

Both nodded and the three made their way down to the lower decks of the passenger hovercraft, then soon out a passenger door where a rudimentary boarding ladder had been assembled to allow the passengers to debark.

"Be careful, Commander Wolf, I don't know how fast we can get out of here if things hit the fan!" shouted a large man from the bridge wing of the hovercraft. He was a large, booming fellow, his face craggy from years of salt spray and his eyes, his white captain's cap perched back over his balding head, and framing a face that sported a full and fluffy salt and pepper beard.

"Captain Atherton, I will try not to be long, but I wouldn't worry. The Falcons will grant you _hegira_ even if they take us. One hovercraft won't get them all out, and they know it." Jamie responded with a wave.

"I will take your word for it, Commander Wolf..all the same, I am going to make sure me and my crew are going to be prepped for a very quick departure. Just remember. Two hours Commander, two hours, don't be late!"

Wolf nodded and made his way in short, but purposeful strides up the white sands of the beach. They steered a course between multiple shellholes and saw the wreck of a _Baboon_ that had been unlucky enough to be caught in a SADB strike. The wreck was toppled, and had burned when the LRM ammo had detonated. _CASE failure?_ Jamie wondered. It was still smoldering from some parts, tendrils of wispy white smoke trailing off into the morning sky.

"I would suggest caution, Commander Wolf, not all of those SADB bomblets detonate." Maeve intoned.

Wolf nodded, Maeve's caution was well-placed. SADB for all of its efficiency as a an anti-'Mech weapon, had a problem in that 10% of the bomblets failed to detonate, and then became landmines on a hair trigger, and they didn't care whose limbs they blew off. _And Founder only knows how many of those rounds the FC has plastered the island with?_ Jamie's mind intoned.

Jamie's reverie was interrupted by the unmistakable SNICK-SNACK of a round being chambered in a rifle, soon followed up by a very loud click. _Here goes nothing._

"Falcon warriors, I come under flag of truce and ask for Safecon to parley with your saKhan, Vanderahn Chistu. My name is Jamie Wolf."

For a few pregnant moments, nothing happened. _The Falcons had to have heard the radio broadcasts. We've been sending them for 6 hours now, asking for an audience with Chistu._

Before long, a head clad in a Jade Falcon field helmet popped up from a hasty foxhole, dug from a shellhole not 50 meters to Jamie's left. The face was boyish, with a pronounced Adams apple, and blonde peach fuzz and bright green eyes that burned bright with hunger and adrenaline framing a face that was warring between fear, exhaustion, and not a little bit of anger. The boy had a bandaged wound running the length of his right cheek, the bandage dirty with soot and dried blood.

"That is far enough, Jamie of the Wolves. We were told to expect you. Remain still or you will be shot."

The figure shouted "Cover me, trothkin" and lept from the hole. His jade green uniform was ragged, torn and covered in stains of soot, dirt and dried blood. His face twisted into an ugly snarl as he pointed his weapon at Jamie's midsection. "I should end you, freebirth traitor. You cooperate with the stravag dogs instead of siding with your own?"

Jamie smiled "Since when are the Falcons my own?"

"Pelar, silence, resume your position..I shall handle this." The voice boomed from a position that was to Jamie's front, about 100 meters away, and another figure, a large man, most likely an elemental but he was stooped with age, but still quite limber, levered himself from another foxhole and to his feet. He had a nasty looking wound across his left thigh that had also been bandaged, and looked much the same as Pelar, but he walked with a surer gair than Pelar did. He made his way straight to Jamie and extended his hand.

"Star Commander Jothan, I am the Falconer for these…children. They are three years from testing out..yet we shove rifles in their hands and tell them to go die for the greater glory of the Clan. This action is simply wrong. These children are not ready, and most of them make poor infantrymen..but as I am not bloodnamed.."

"..nobody asked you" Jamie finished as he offered Jothan his hand, Jothan took it, clasping hands in the Clan way, palm to the crook of the elbow.

"So, you are here to demand our _surrender."_ Jothan stated, practically spitting out the last word as if it was ill-tasting food.

"Aff, Jothan. You know you cannot resist forever. And the FedCom is in no mood for Zellbrigen. Not after what they saw the Doberung Cluster had done to those ferrymen and their families."

Jothan shook his head, "I was not part of that, Jamie. But yes, this war has led to some very un-clanlike things being done by my clan. Perhaps this is the universe's way of balancing the scales?"

Jamie nodded in understanding.

"I was told to search, blindfold and take you and one other to see the Khan to present your demands in person. Your third will remain here. Do not worry, Pelar and his fellows may be eager, and a bit mad with hunger, but they will follow my orders. I have…had to reinforce that bit in more than a few Circles of Equals."

Jamie smiled. "You would have made an excellent Dragoon, Jothan."

Jothan barked with laughter, and his face cracked open wide with a grin. "You will forgive my impertinence, but serve the Wolves? I am too good a Falcon for that."

Jamie nodded as Jothan waved over a petite brown-haired girl who could not have been more than 14. Her sniper rifle, slung on her shoulder, was slightly bigger than her, and her brown eyes, wide like saucers, were hollow with the look of someone who was hungry, and who had seen too much. She efficiently searched Jamie and Maeve, then Brian Cameron, whom was going with Jamie. Maeve would remain.

"Shall we Jothan?

"We shall, grab my shoulders once you are blindfolded."

"Cadets, one of the Dragoons will remain here. See that no harm comes to her, or..I shall face the perpetrator in a Circle of Equals, and I will not be happy." Jothan bellowed

The point answered in unison, it was a ragged, tired shout, but one that was still filled with fight "Yes ovKhan!"

It wasn't long before Jamie Wolf's world went black with the cloth of the blindfold. "Comfortable, Wolf?"

Jamie nodded. "Thank you for asking."

"I learned long ago to not pick fights I do not need." Jothan whispered.

The walk was a bit harrowing, but Jothan expertly navigated them up and down a pair of crests, then down six flights of stairs..and into an elevator..all in all, by Jamie's count, the walk took about 15 minutes, give or take a minute or two. When the blindfold was removed, Wolf found himself and Cameron in a small room, some 8 by 8 meters square, dominated by a small metal desk, and a pair of camp stools which Jamie and Brian were sitting in. There was no decoration on the cinder block walls, which were painted white, and lit harshly by a bank of florescent lights. A Clan Jade Falcon flag dominated one wall, pinned to a message board. Soon, a side door opened, and a large, somewhat imposing figure entered the room. He had a well-groomed beard and his Jade Falcon field uniform was immaculate. It could be no other. Vandervahn Chistu had arrived.

Jamie and Brian rose out of respect, but were not halfway up before Chistu waved them back down and sat at the desk.

"So, they send traitors to demand my surrender? How predictable."

"Kerlin Ward ordered us to help the Inner Sphere, Chistu, you know that."

"And he is dead, and here you stand assisting those who would destroy his legacy?" Chistu whispered menacingly.

"His legacy, or just your precious Crusader cause?" Wolf intoned softly.

"Present your demands, traitor. I find this meeting…distasteful." Chistu spat.

"Marshal Bradford demands your unconditional surrender by local midnight. Your troops will gather at places directed by FC officers, stack arms and equipment, and then obey all FC instructions. The FC promises you and your men will be treated according to the Ares Conventions, except for identified war criminals. If you don't accept by midnight local time, the garrison will be taken by storm and Marshal Bradford makes no promises."

"My answer is simple, Wolf. Neg. We will die here, as a good Falcon should. Perhaps you mewling Wolves would take such a demeaning offer, but we Falcons shall soar on the martial glory this coming battle will represent. Win or lose, we shall all earn a place in the Remembrance. Can your lucrewarriors you command say the same?"

"Chistu, I brought my warships. I have to tell you that if you don't surrender, I've been ordered to turn them onto this place. You have sibko cadets under arms. You would ask me to kill children. Consider the waste and folly of this stand."

"Neg, Wolf. The survivors will have passed their Trial of Position. They already have shown the courage we expect in our warriors. And they will live to see our Clan drive the Federated Commonwealth back, and this time, we will take Tharkad, and deal a deathblow to these Fedcom savashri." Chistu's eyes began to burn with maniacal fire, and spittle began to fly from his mouth as his voice raised. "You have presented your demands for your master, Wolf, and you have proven yourself a good little lapdog. Now remove yourself from my sight, and take your sidekick with you."

Jamie turned to go, but stopped. "You know Chistu, I do think your idea of a glorious fight needs some work. Most of these old men and children will never see their killers. The ones that do, well, one can say it might be glorious..it will most definitely be short, however. You will get a place in the Remembrance, Chistu, it just may not be the one you think. It's a shame for all the pain and waste that is going to occur to get you your precious mention, eh Chistu?"


	17. Omake, Part 1 - Chat With the Archon

_The next two pieces were graciously written by Gladiusone of Spacebattles fame, aka Gladius on . He is someone whom I've come to enjoy as a writer and loved the pieces with Juliette Von Strang that he contributed. And yes, we'll be seeing more of our favorite fanged 'Merc commander._

Omake: Interview with the Archon

 _Classified Location,_

 _Tharkad, Federated Commonwealth,_

 _7th October, 3055_

Colonel the Baroness Juliette von Strang, exiled ruler of Von Strang's World and commander of the mercenary unit Von Strang's Legion, sipped at her whisky glass, appreciating the smoky flavour as she studied the woman sitting across from her in the main sitting room of the Tharkad chalet. The fire crackled off to one side, throwing a little extra light over not only the two women, but the numerous security guards and soldiers trying to fade into the background along the walls. "If I had known that accepting Colonel Kell's invitation to attend the anti-Tanker conference here would have led to me being whisked away by Royal troops, only to wind up sitting across from the Archon of the Lyran Commonwealth ... I'm not sure if I would have agreed."

Melissa Steiner-Davion smiled over her glass of red wine. "Oh, so you didn't find the convention to be useful? I would think that the opportunity to pick the brains of mercenary and House regimental commanders regarding the fight against the Clans would be of great interest to you, given your history."

Juliette shrugged. "For the most part, they were rehashing over things that we have all known for years, and, in my opinion, stupidly reinforcing many of the same old attitudes about Clan 'tactical superiority' and how suicidal it is to actually fight them. Instead of finding ways to actually deal with them, most seem to be trying to find ways of working with them, or at least around them." She shook her head. "Oh, I appreciated Duke Morgan's lecture on the Battle of Luthien, and Colonel Greyson's panel on the defense of Sudeten was very interesting." Pausing to take a sip, she continued, "My own presentation on the proper technique for tying a hangman's noose was strangely lightly attended and poorly reviewed."

After all: what else do you deal with pirates and bandits than by decisive measures?

"I ... can understand why that was somewhat outputting. I understand Colonel Wolf's review was ... less than flattering."

Juliette blinked. "And the opinion of a crypto-Tanker should mean something to me ... why?"

Melissa nodded in acceptance of the point, then moved on. "Very well: to the point of this meeting. Your unit's efforts against Clan Jade Falcon has not gone unnoticed." She paused. "I would like to personally thank you for your attempts to warn the Commonwealth authorities on Here ... and to apoligise for the way they treated you in return."

The Periphery-born mercenary shrugged. "There is no need: my family has always been aware of how the Inner Sphere regards our bloodline. But ..." she nodded slightly in recognition. "Thank you."

"In any case, the proven effectiveness of the Legion's tactics and raids has been noted at the highest levels ... _including my dinner table_." She smiled. "I might be forgiven for mentioning, in confidence, that Prince Victor is something of an admirer, and defends your position vigorously."

Juliette blinked again, this time in genuine surprise. "That ... I was not expecting." The blonde future ruler of the Federated Commonwealth was about her age, very handsome (if somewhat ... lacking in the height department) and a very acomplished warrior, having, like her, come of age in the time of the Clan onslaught. Most of his battles had been against Clan Jade Falcon, and she had studied his tactics and victories extensively. "I ... his exploits against the enemy are also very impressive."

Melissa smiled. "I understand that your unit is undergoing refit and retraining, after your latest expansion: six full wings of aerospace fighters, I believe?"

"Actually, only three: our squadrons use a four-bird lance, just like our 'Mech and armour units," qualified Juliette. "But yes, we now have as many fighters as 'Mechs. We're also expanding our mechanised infantry command to a full battalion, and I'm investigating the possibility of deploying armoured troopers ... which is another reason why I was willing to come along, to speak to several suppliers."

"Well, you will be happy to know that the AFFC is interested in extending your contract, and we are offering subsidies for units who specialise in anti-Clan operations."

Juliette smiled, her fangs sliding into view. "Ah, so this is in regards to the upcoming offensive." She downed her whisky, and reached for the bottle.

The Archon frowned. "I ... how did you know about that?"

"Oh, it's hardly common knowledge, but there have been a lot of reconnaissance raid contracts available of late, as well as delivering supplies and reinforcements to resistance groups," stated Juliette, pouring herself another drink. "And the Birds have become rather ... touchy about their flanks: hell, entire regions of some worlds are becoming 'no go' zones for Tanker troops, with the garrisons sticking close to the cities and industrial areas. True, they still stomp down hard on buildups of rebellion, but there are quite a few places where you can find FedCom flags flying openly." She sat back in her chair, and cradled her drink. "Combine that with the sudden rise in prices of artillery, ammunition, armour plate and a decrease in availability of JumpShip support, and the conclusion is ... not much of a leap."

"I see." Melissa didn't seem too put off by the mercenary noblewoman's deduction. "In any case, you are right. We are planing to take back our worlds from the Jade Falcons, and we would like you and your Legion to be a part of -"

"No."

The silence in the room was broken only by the crackle of the fire.

"I'm not sure you understand," said Melissa after a few moments, trying to regain her equilibrium. "The Commonwealth -"

"Wants help to establish control over the Periphery worlds currently occupied by the Clans, and you would like to help prop me up as the focal point for an 'independent' realm, being the rightful ruler of the Barony, with a history in the region and a reputation for honest dealing and brutal tactics. I believe a similar offer was extended to a colonel Pavel Ridzik, and your government helped create the 'Tikonov Free Republic.'" She paused. "That realm lasted, what, three years before it was absorbed wholesale into your Sarna March?

"Highness, I am a ruler in exile, but a ruler nevertheless. I understand your goal is to restore control over the worlds and lost territory that ... no," she paused, noting the expression on Melissa's face, "You wish to liberate the people, your people who live on those worlds. It is a motivation I understand all too well. So please, try to understand that I have absolutely no interest in becoming the puppet ruler of a rump nation that will quickly be absorbed into the conglomeration that is the Federated Commonwealth. I am fighting to free my people from one set of alien overlords: do you really think that I would welcome enslaving them to another, simply because your homeworld is closer to Terra?"

"Colonel, please. We have no interest in expanding into the Periphery: if nothing else, history teaches us that it has never been a good idea. The Reunification Wars were a bloody, expensive and ultimately pointless exercise ... which led to the Amaris Coup and all that followed."

"I am familiar with the history of the Periphery, Highness: my family features prominently in it. But I have never known Spheroids to be particularly amenable to listening to reason when it comes to 'Periphery scum who need to learn their place' ... or for paying attention to history, given the devastation of your Succession Wars over the centuries."

Melissa tilted her head in recognition. "True. However, requiring the scores of worlds taken from the Commonwealth by the Falcons, reintegrating them into the nation, healing the wounds of the occupation ... it will be the work of decades, and it would be irresponsible of us to simultaneously attempt to absorb a recalcitrant group of Periphery worlds and former pirate havens.

"However, an allied nation, ruled from Von Strang's World, supported by the Commonwealth but independent, would be a useful buffer against further incursions by coreward invaders like the Clans, or the other Deep Periphery nations that may turn their attention towards the Commonwealth."

Juliette sat quietly for a few moments. "So, what you really want is a shield of ablative armour to protect your coreward flank, to act as a tripwire against repeat invasions, and to keep fighting away from your own worlds as much as possible."

Melissa paused. "There is an element of that. On the other hand, it would help to bring order to a region that borders our own nation, and provides safety and security to those who live there, as well as opening avenues of trade and exploration. Instead of having a pirate nation like the old Oberon Confederation threatening our border worlds, we would have an ally and friend."

Juliette cradled her glass, studying the co-ruler of the largest single Inner Sphere realm. "... You are honest, at least." She considered. "We would receive Commonwealth support?"

"Certainly. Not House troops, of course, but funding, surplus equipment, a few words in the ears of certain mercenary groups -"

"No Dragoons or Blue Stars," interjected Juliette, her mind whirring, "Anything with a Star League - or, gods forbid, a Clan heritage - would be worse than Lyran Regulars." Then she stopped. "There is, of course, a price."

"Of course," agreed Melissa. "This all hinges on your participating in the offensive, rather prominently: with a suitably impressive contribution, the less ... savory parts of your family history can be muffled over, and your preferred tactics can be ... put into perspective. We need to be able to show that the Commonwealth is doing the right thing by supporting your ... Reconquista. "

Juliette nodded, noting down the term in her mind. "So ... we need to offer ... a spectacle." She sighed. "The Legion is not a show unit, Highness, nor is it a beautiful instrument of graceful maneuver. We are a hammer."

The smile Melissa showed was clearly learned from her husband, the Fox. "Oh, I know that well enough, and we would never waste your force in such a manner. We would like to hold your unit back, at least for the first wave, and choose a suitable target, so that you can make an impact ... and so that you can hurt the Jade Falcons." Her smile broadened, and for a moment, Juliette remembered the Steiner's claim to Viking heritage. "Tell me, my lady ... what do you think about Sudeten?"

If anything, Juliette's fanged smile became even more predatory. "Please, Archon Steiner-Davion," she said respectfully, "Tell me more ..."


	18. Omake Part 2 - Cracking the Egg

Omake: Cracking an Egg

 _3rd Royal Guards Field CP_

 _150km SSW of Hamnarr_

 _Sudeten_

 _Jade Falcon Occupation Zone_

 _October 7th, 3056_

"Damn: they're dug in deeper than a Sian tick," observed General Harrison Bradford, as the holotank zoomed into the schematics of the island that the Falcons had turned into a fortress. A simulated attack run by DropShips screened by fighters was met with a barrage of naval-scale lasers, PPCs and swarms of more conventional missiles. "With those turrets, there's no way we can drop a force big enough to dig them out: it's like a mini Castle Brian!"

"Hitting them from the sea is out too: they've got a sensor net that would warn them of our approach along the sea bed," added Colonel Cooper, the commander of the 3rd Royal Guard's 'Mech regiment, tapping on his noteputer. "And those walls are too heavy for even our massed artillery to smash through, anyway. Best way in is the docks ... and they've got at least a Trinary of 'Mechs and hundreds of Solhama infantry massed there, under cover."

"All in all, they've got the better part of two Clusters in there, made up of garritroopers and Solhama 'Mechs for the most part and the remnants of the fucking Doberung," Bradford continued, referring to the brutal and bloody Garrison Cluster who had murdered the crews of the ferries that had transported them to Maakar island, "but according to Wolf, there's at least a full Trinary of front line 'Mechs: Khan Chistu's bodyguard."

"Goddamnit," said an aide in the background, and no one complained. They were all thinking it.

If it were simply a field battle, they certainly had the forces to overwhelm the Falcon troops. However, the fortifications, the heavy weapon turrets and the isolation of the island meant that even getting boots on the ground would be a bloody and expensive affair ...

"Isn't this Zeta Battalion's forte?" asked one officer, but the commanding general shook his head.

"Wolf says they took heavy casualties routing the Guards: they're still reconstituting, and won't be ready for combat this heavy any time soon."

"But don't we have WarShips in orbit? I mean, I'm all for the Ares Conventions, but surely a limited bombardment, aimed at a military installation that's removed from any population center -"

"That too came up when I was talking to Wolf," Bradford sighed. "He pointed out that with the sibko elements being used as riflemen by the Falcons ... by a strict reading of the Ares Conventions and the rules of war, we are prohibited from simply flattening the place from orbit."

"That's ... ridiculous, sir!"

"Maybe, but I conferred over HPG with Marshal Steiner: she agreed with the _mercenary._ " He shook his head: having so much of the Sudeten task force's might being under control of a mercenary, and a former Clansman at that, frustrated him. Surely Commonwealth forces would have been more reliable ... "He did offer the Athena's guns to reduce those turrets ... but even without them, any regiment we drop on Maakar will be on their own until reinforcements can be moved up, against a small Galaxy of Falcon troops. It's basically a forlorn hope, and that's why I've been hoping Wolf's ultimatum would work. Damned Chistu virtually spat in his face, but we had to make the offer."

Cooper picked up his noteputer again. "Alright. I guess I'll start drawing up a list of volunteers, pull together a scratch regiment so we can -"

"No, Colonel, I'm afraid that's not happening either." The colonel blinked, looking over at his superior's dark expression. "When I conferred with Marshal Steiner, I received orders direct from the Archon, co-signed by the Archon Prince Designate. A fresh unit is being deployed to assault the island, dig us out a foothold, then hold until our troops can land."

"... permission to speak freely, sir?"

"Granted."

"What kind of lunatics did the Archon dig up to send on a forlorn hope mission like that?"

"Us."

The officers and staff in the command center turned to see a petite redhead in a light-eatingly black uniform approach. Upon recognition more than one officer recoiled, making way as she strode confidently across the room, to stand in front of the General. Instead of saluting, in a typically disrespectful display of mercenary contempt for tradition and good orders, she smiled, showing off small but clearly sharp fangs. "Juliette von Strang, General. My lunatics, madmen and monsters are ready to deploy."

"We have a Khan to kill."


	19. Grain Rebellion Day

_War Room_

 _Forbidden City_

 _Sian_

 _Capellan Confederation_

 _October 11_ _th_ _, 3056_

The dark of the war room was only broken by the cerulean lights of the various displays denoting troop positions along the Capellan border with the Federated Suns. Many of them were flashing green, denoting that they were ready to begin combat operations, all they needed was the codeword to do so. Sun-Tsu smiled thinly, _I am pleased, so far, the Davions seem to suspect nothing, our OPSEC has been better than I expected, and the raids we have launched have convinced them that we will be content to sit out their little pummeling of the Clans. Let them think that, right until the stroke of my sword to their neck._

He glanced at his assembled generals. "Ladies and Gentlemen, we are on the cusp of avenging the insults the Davions have subjected us to for the past 600 years. We stand ready to deliver the vengeance of the Capellan people, and liberate those who have toiled under the yoke of the so-called "freedom" of the Federated Commonwealth for so long. We shall show the Fox and his spawn why it is best to respect us, and why we have long memories. Execute EAST SEA on schedule. We will cross the border in three days, a fitting gift for their 'Grain Rebellion' Day."

One clap broke the silence of the room, it soon became two, and soon the clapping became a flood, and Sun-Tsu extended his arms in triumph. He turned towards Alexa, standing against a corner of the room, her arms folded as she looked on. She was not clapping, and her eyes said _Careful, my liege, we bet much on the uncertainties of this operation, and there is no guarantee this will even come close to success._

Sun-Tsu knew this all too well, he did not expect to survive this war, but if a solid enough blow could be struck, then perhaps a tired Federated Commonwealth could be brought to the negotiating table, and what gains that were taken through force of arms…could be solidified by politics, or, at least, that was the hope. _My life is but a small cost to strengthen our nation._

But, he could not get the thought out of his mind of the ancient example of Imperial Japan, and its attack on Pearl Harbor. While it was wildly successful at first, it's war leader, Yamamoto's prediction about "six months of victory" seemed ever present in Sun-Tsu's mind. _We must drive the Davions to the table. It's the only way this will work. But there are too many "ifs"? Will the Mariks help us? Will the guerillas we have in place launch the General Uprisings as planned? Will the Word of Blake honor their agreements? It's a lot to bet on a "pair of 8s" as Archie McCarron once said, but I will be happy if we retake Sarna, and destabilize St. Ives enough to allow us to move in as "peacekeepers". And, if the Mariks retake some of the Sirian worlds and wreak a little havoc along the Steiner frontier? All the better. It will split the FC response._

He turned to the war room again, his smile wide this time, reflected in the lights of the various displays, and shouted

"Wǒ men jiāng yòng dà wèi ēn de xiān xuè lái xǐ dí wǒ men de cháng máo!" – We will wash our spears in Davion blood.

The room erupted in joyous cheers, and cries of "Xin Sheng!"

… _I didn't know if Sun-Tsu at that moment had lost his mind, there were many moments during the coming days, especially as things began to fall apart on Sian that I came close to doing what he asked me to do, before that fateful, awful day. But the day that Sun-Tsu gave the go order? That day was electric, Capellan pride thumped in our chest like jackhammers. I screamed "Xin Sheng!" along with the rest of the assembled generals and their staffs. It was almost a shame that reality set in as harshly as it did._

 **"** **My Years with the Chancellor", Alexa Shang, Colonel, CCAF (Ret), Loyalty Press, Sian, 3075**

 _5000m AGL above the Unity Palace_

 _Imperial City_

 _Luthien_

 _October 12_ _th_ _, 3056_

The whooshing sound of the atmosphere rushing by the skin of the Elemental Suit of Star Captain Lucas Perez of the 6th Jaguar Dragoons matched the exhilaration of his own heart. Two of the three frontline galaxies and a garrison galaxy had dropped on Luthien, most right onto the Kado-Guchi Valley. But a trinary of Elementals, all volunteers from the 6th Jaguar Dragoons, had been dropped directly onto the Unity Palace, the very beating heart of the Draconis Combine, home to the ruling family house of Kurita, and the Combine's literal center of gravity.

There had been no _batchall_ this time, and the Jaguar force had arrived at a pirate point only 4 days out from the planet, the warships first turning their guns onto the orbital infrastructure, then any Combine forces not on the Hokkaido continent. The bombardment went on for three days, but it had not been a one-sided affair, as Combine missile carrying submarines hiding in the Copper Sea had fired nuclear tipped ballistic missiles at the warships, and had shot down the _Korat,_ a Liberator Class Cruiser, and the flagship of Delta Galaxy.

Star Captain Perez 's. mission was simple. Seize Unity Palace and capture alive any members of the Kurita line they could, it was expected that this would most likely not be possible, but their bodies would do nicely if not, then hold the palace until relief came. Star Captain Perez didn't intend to take any Combine bondsmen. _Why sully the Clan with their honorless ways? We should have just sterilized the planet. They did cooperate with the Usurper, did they not?_

A buzzing alarm drew Perez's attention, letting him know that he was at optimal altitude to begin his de-acceleration burn for his final decent. He stomped both pedals in his suit, triggering the jump jets built into the pack on his back, he held them down as his velocity indicator began to spin downwards, descending from 800 meters per second to 100 meters per second within moments. His point was doing likewise, and the smoke from the exhaust began to billow up and obscure his vision.

"Go Thermal" he bellowed, and the world became a kaleidoscope of blues, reds, and oranges, the colors depending on the heat given off by various objects in the proposed landing zone, a small clearing within the walls of the palace. He saw various man-sized objects scurrying around the various parts of the palace, the resolution of the imager didn't allow for him to be able to tell if they were armed or not, and as far as Perez was concerned, it did not matter. _It is nice for the Combine to provide me with so many targets for me and my men. I will have to thank them._

Perez's Elemental suit hit the surface of Luthien with a bone jarring crash that was felt all the way up Perez's spine. He swiveled the head of his suit to his left slowly, eventually completing a 360-degree circuit. His command point was loaded out with .50 caliber machine guns in the primary slot, and an automatic shotgun in the AP weapon slot. One star was packing lasers, and the last was packing flamers, in short, the trinary was ready to face any threat that they might run into in the palace, but Perez wasn't sure this was going to be much more than a slaughter of freebirth.

He keyed his radio with his mouth and barked "Alpha Star, report!"

"Point One, reports ready." That was Kieran, a crusty old Star Commander who somehow managed to win trial after trial for his leadership position in the Trinary Command Star. He had so far, not lost. He acted as Perez's bodyguard.

"Point Two, reports ready" chimed in a high-pitched voice, that belonged to Dara. Her voice did not match her physique, and those who teased her about it..did so once, because she often would demand satisfaction in a Circle of Equals. She had a solid point, who would follow her anywhere.

"Point Three, reports ready" a voice robotically replied. That was Varius. He was something of a loner, and didn't have much of a life outside being a Smoke Jaguar. He followed orders robotically, and really wasn't much of a deep thinker. His point was solid, but due to it's unimaginative commander, tended to have a high casualty rate.

"Point Four, I crashed through the stravag roof. I estimate it will take me 30 seconds or so to work my way free, Star Captain!" This was Arden. He was new, fresh from the sibko, but he had shown much progress in various actions against the guerillas. Perez had no doubt he would do well. His symbol on the map repeater screen showed he had drifted 1000 meters away to the northwest, coming down in a building the watch labeled as "servants quarters". The rest of his point was scattered to hell and gone from the looks of it.

"Trinary Command acknowledges your situation Point Four, meet us at the RV. We will work our way to you. Strength and Honor, Arden."

"Bravo and Charlie Stars, report!" Perez barked again.

"Bravo Point 1 reports, we lost Point 2's lead on the drop. Matthew was rammed by a Combine fighter."

Perez smiled. _Matthew had a good death to cap an otherwise average career. Shame, I was thinking of recommending him for the next Perez bloodright trial._

Perez heard nothing from Charlie..which was strange. "Anyone from Charlie Star, report!"

"Alpha Command, Bravo Point 4. I heard Charlie's dropship go off the air on the net. They reported coming under heavy attack by fighters just before they stopped transmitting."

"Freebirth" Perez muttered. _49 Elementals against who knew how many stravag Kuritans. No, I need to push on, the Clan would expect no less._

"Trinary Delta, we will push on with our original mission regardless of casualties. Bravo Star, seize and clear the palace armory before pushing on to the Coordinator's private quarters. We shall continue our mission to the throne room. Strength and Honor, Delta Trinary!"

"Strength and Honor, OvKhan!"

Perez began to push his way towards the RV, a point in the northwest corner of the clearing. He noticed the entire clearing was surrounded with plants and trees of all kinds, and he might have considered it beautiful, had Perez cared about such things, _such frivolity was the acumen of the Wolves, or the Ghost Bears, and that is why they are weak._

Several short bursts of heavy machine gun fire interrupted his thoughts. Point 3 was engaging an unseen target, and Perez swept the wall with his thermal sensors, he saw a pair of figures cowering behind a wall, and several other cooling bodies that Varius had already killed. Perez put his crosshairs onto one of the cowering figures, and let the caret pulse red to signify it had locked onto the target. He triggered his primary weapon, and the machine gun roared with a deep CHUNK-CHUNK-CHUNK as the .50 caliber shells tore apart the flimsy wooden structure, as splinters and dust flew away, and the shells tore apart the cowering figure. The target soon fell, with a smaller chunk falling away in a different direction, and the body beginning to rapidly cool. He then moved his cursor slightly to the left, and noticed the other figure was already down. _Varius is ever efficient._

Perez again keyed his radio "Alpha Star, we push on now to the Throne Room. The Combine defenders are confused and surprised. This will not last. We must take advantage. Arden, assemble as best you can, and guard our rear as we advance. This will be quite the fight."

"I am free, OvKhan, engaged and neutralized three defenders, two women, and one child. I have three members of my point to hand. Am proceeding as instructed."

"Well done Arden."

"Gain us entry, Point 2." Perez instructed.

An Elemental sat on his haunches, and fired both SRM-2s into the building onto either side of a shattered window. Both warheads exploded, sending wood splinters flying high into the air and a large dust cloud into the sky. Fire had begun in several parts of the palace as the sky became thick with smoke.

As the first Elemental began to move through the breach, the smoke and flash of a quartet of LAW rockets reached out from a building overlooking the southern edge of the clearing and scored a series of hits onto the backpack of the elemental, one or more detonating the SRMs in a loud ROAR and a bright orange flash. Once the flash had cleared, all that was left of the elemental was a pair of smoking boots. The rest of the palace soon came alive with muzzle flashes of all calibers, and Perez began to hear the wasp-like buzz of rounds passing his suit, or the ping of a spent bullet hitting home. "Stravag, they know we are here."

The THUD-THUD-THUD of a Heavy Machine Gun roared out from the breach, the tracers pinning another elemental like a butterfly, and tearing large chunks from it, harjel pouring forth like black ooze.

Perez heard the screams of pain and frustration of the elemental. It was one of Dara's lot, was Jerus his name? He wasn't sure. He was new from the sibko on Huntress, and now, he was paying for his inexperience.

Perez stepped up to the jagged hole to the left of the window, and fired a pair of SRMs down the hall overlooking the breach, then followed it up with a long burst from his machine gun. He was rewarded with a silence broken only by a series of low moans. He raised his suit's claw arm, and waved them forward. Nothing more needed to be said. The hall itself was burnt and pockmarked, and the padding that lined the teak floor was scorched and torn, but it must have been beautiful once, he came to the site of the heavy machine gun, it was an ugly black monster mounted on a tripod, Perez instantly recognized it as a Sperry-Browning .50 caliber model meant to be mounted in a battlemech or combat vehicle. The crew was splayed around the weapon..which was rent by fragments from the SRMs Perez had fired, all of them had gaping wounds and were clad in the uniform of the Otomo. He heard low moans from one of the crew, a petite, toned woman of mixed Asian and African descent. He turned towards her and bend down, grabbing her by her breastplate with his suits claw and lifting her effortlessly.

She looked no older than 30, her features were pleasing, once, but she had multiple cuts and abrasions across her face, and she was bleeding profusely from a wound in her abdomen that leaked ichor from under her breastplate, she was coughing up blood occasionally. He locked eyes with the Combine freebirth. Her helmet was gone, lost in the miscellaneous items of the ruined machinegun position, which allowed her long, silky hair to spill out across her shoulders.

She let out a slow moan, she croaked out the word "shinjimae" before she spat blood onto Perez's suit in a sign of contempt, then grinned at Perez with blood-soaked teeth. Perez saw red, and raised his machinegun arm, and put a single round into her head at close range, taking her head off in a spray of blood and brains, he then tossed her broken body into a corner like so much rubbish.

"Clear this place, leave no survivors." Perez muttered dangerously.

 _Personal Quarters of the Archon Prince_

 _Royal Palace_

 _New Avalon_

 _Crucis March, Federated Commonwealth_

 _October 14_ _th_ _, 3056_

Victor Ian Steiner-Davion was many things, among them an accomplished soldier, and so far, a decent if not perfect monarch. But what he wasn't was an expert on bow ties for a tuxedo. _Why do I need to wear a tux when a dress uniform will do? Oh yes, Mom insisted I do so at the Daughters of the Federated Suns Grain Rebellion Gala. Shows my civilian side. Ok, ok, but the damn bow ties…ugh!_

His sister Katherine shook her head and laughed. "Big bro, do you want me to do that for you?"

"No sis, If ruling the Fedcom means I learn to do my own bow ties, then so be it."

"Stubborn as always, big brother, stubborn as always. I know you wish I was the one going."

"You are the media darling of the Fedcom?" Victor half-pleaded, sounding a bit needier than he had intended.

"Victor, it's an act, a persona I put on to hide the real me, the broken me." Katherine's illness wasn't well known outside royal circles. Publicly, her absences from public were sold to the press as "exhaustion", which riled Katherine, even if she understood the reason. _I don't think the people would react well if they knew the regent for the Lyran half of the Fedcom suffered from major depressive disorder. I wish I could tell Mom and Dad I really hate all the prevaricating, and the face I must put on with those not "in the know"._

Victor threw his hands up in disgust. "I am going with a clip-on; Mom's sartorial demands can be…modified." Victor stated diplomatically, but with a frustrated edge in his voice. "Hey, sis, be glad you aren't going to this thing. It's the same old speeches, with the same old rubber chicken and fake smiles and same old old biddie nobles who seem to live to attend court and throw self-congratulatory parties. Thank god there's less of them in the Suns!"

Katherine shook her head "Amen to that, I think I've exceeded my plastic smile quota for the month. But, brother, I do have some real-world stuff to discuss."

Victor studied his sister. She was wearing a NAIS alumni sweatshirt and jeans combo she saved for casual days around the palace. Her hair was up in a bun and she had bags under her eyes. _She's been putting in long nights with the Ministry of the Exchequer again. Bad news I presume._

"Hit me sis." Victor said, a tone that suggested he was bracing for the worst.

"It's not that bad Victor," Katherine smiled, "shortages are at the levels we expected, mostly luxury items, our reinstating the Luxury Lotteries have helped a lot on that score. My main concern, with ammunition and spare parts expenditures twice what your folks at T & R suggested, I am going to have to rejigger the jumpship figures to get the supplies to the front. Believe me, that operational pause was a good idea, no matter how much you do not like it."

 _It was a rare family argument between all of us on that one. Katherine had sided with the generals, as had dad. Mom and I wanted to finish matters while we had the Clanners on the damn run! But, honestly, we really had fired off a lot more ammo than we had expected, especially on the artillery side. And we'd tripled estimates even before Clover Spear kicked off! Oh well, no plan ever survives…_

Victor's thought was interrupted by a knock at the door. "Your highness, your mother is becoming rather insistent you 'get your royal arse' on the road. Her words, not mine, your highness."

Victor chuckled. "Hold down the fort Katherine, I suspect you will have more fun than Mom, Dad, and I will. What do you have planned anyhow?"

"Misha Auburn and I are having a girl's night. She managed to get a copy of the Orient Express remake that came out last month? I am thinking popcorn and movie night, perhaps some wine and gossip too, it will be nice to take a break."

Victor shook his head. "Sounds better than my evening. My speech is just recycled from one Dad gave 20 years ago. I doubt most of them will notice."

Katherine shook her head again, this time disapprovingly "Victor, as much as I acknowledge you see yourself as a humble mechjock who would rather hang out with the boys, you're in the ruling family, and with that, comes responsibilities. I know it sucks.."

"..but I was born first. I get it Katherine. But dammit, I don't have to like it." Victor grumbled "Especially on nights like this."

"Nights like this are precisely why you are needed. People need to see, as much as there is a war on, and they can't get coffee or nylons in the stores, and rationing is rife, that their leaders are doing business as usual. They'll figure, 'if they aren't panicking, then why should I?'."

"Point taken, Sister. But you get to be the designated survivor tonight. Lucky you." Victor quipped.

"I don't see it that way Victor. Think about what I am staying behind as a hedge against?"

 _Yeah, let's hope this is a quiet night for everyone on that score.._ Victor mused _._

 _DISPATCH TO ALL UNITS._

 _FLASH DISPATCH_

 _MULTIPLE EXPLOSIONS REPORTED AT AVALON CITY CONVENTION CENTER, EXECUTE TERROR ATTACK PROTOCOLS_

 _ALL UNITS RESPOND, PRIORITY CALL  
_

 _RECALL, RECALL_

 _EXPECTED MASCAS_

 _CHAOS 2211_

 _VIPs AMONGST POTENTIAL CASUALTIES, INCLUDING MEMBERS OF THE ROYAL FAMILY._

 _ALL UNITS RESPOND, PRIORITY CALL_

 _RECALL, RECALL_

 **Transcript from Avalon City Emergency Services radio dispatch frequency, timestamp 2214, 14 October, 3056 (released to the public 7 September, 3057)**


	20. Shock Action

_Secure Wing, New Avalon General Hospital ICU_

 _Avalon City_

 _New Avalon_

 _Crucis March, Federated Commonwealth_

 _October 15_ _th_ _, 3056_

Unshed tears glistened in the stark blue eyes of Katherine Morgan Steiner-Davion's pale face, her blond hair was not its usual tidy, lustrous, nature that the palace makeup artists spent hours making right for public appearances. _Hides the electroshock scars nicely, doesn't it? Can't have the people know the Princess once had dark thoughts about hurting herself and might have turned into a monster up there with Claudius the Mad, never mind he never had Dombrowski-A? I can't tell them that she still cries at the drop of a hat and is scared to death of being in public._

But not today. Today she was still wearing the sweatshirt and jeans she had been wearing when she and Misha Auburn had been watching the Orient Express remake that had just hit the vids from Donegal Broadcasting Corporation. They'd been only a half hour in, when the door had been thrown open, and the security personnel had roughly grabbed her while screaming "WARY RACE!" at the top of their lungs. She'd spent hours in a locked, windowless room, with over a dozen guards armed to the teeth surrounding her telling her not much more than "there has been an incident."

It wasn't until 0300 the next morning that Katherine had been told, by Ardan Sortek. "Your highness," he had said, "there has been a terror attack, we think by the Capellan Confederation. It hit the Convention Center with several large truck bombs from outside the frozen zone. The blasts leveled buildings within a six-block radius of the center. Thousands are dead, wounded, or missing, your highness. Your brother has sustained a critical injury to his left arm, and has lost a lot of blood, and suffered a concussion, and both of his legs are broken. He is currently in a medically induced coma at New Avalon General. As for your mother and father…Your highness. I am so sorry to be the one to tell you this…but they are both dead, I'll spare you the details. It wasn't pretty. I took the liberty of identifying the remains, so that you would not have to remember them like that."

Katherine remembered nodding numbly, not saying a word. She was in shock; her parents were dead? _How could that be? Mom and Dad had cheated death before. Why, it's just a bad identification. Mom and Dad are going to crawl out of that rubble, dust themselves off, and go give the damn Capellans the beating they deserve._ The look in Ardan's eyes, red from lack of sleep and uncontrolled weeping for the loss of a friend of over 50 some odd years, said it all. _Mom and Dad were gone, my brother is fighting for his life, and I am the one in charge? Oh god, where the hell is Peter? Why can't they put him in charge?_

Jackson Davion had answered that one during the first conference at Mount Davion. "Your highness, we cannot be leaderless at a time like this. You are the designated successor. Peter is currently out of position on extended exercises with the Lyons SMM. He'll be informed once he gets back from the field. But you are ahead of him in the line of succession. You. Are. It. Your highness."

The Capellans had not just hit New Avalon. There had been much chaos sown yesterday, not just the terror attacks on New Avalon. On New Syrtis, they had attacked Morgan Hasek-Davion's motorcade while he was on his way to a hospital to greet wounded from the Clan front. His wife Kym was killed, he was badly wounded and clinging to life in a New Syrtis hospital. There had been six other attacks throughout the Capellan and Sarna Marches, as well as St. Ives. Candace Allard-Liao had been assassinated by an unknown shooter while she had stepped out onto the balcony of the Ducal Palace on St. Ives to give the State of the State address to the assembled throngs of media and well-wishers.

And the Capellans had followed it up with an invasion. They had hit eight worlds thus far in the Sarna March. Details were sketchy, but it looked like there wasn't just Capellan units participating, but Word of Blake units as well. _This would explain the terror attacks, they seemed a bit extreme, even for the Death Commandos._ It had caused temporary paralysis in the higher command levels of the Capellan and Syrtis March, and Katherine had passed orders for all units in contact to hold in place as long as possible until a clearer picture of just what the hell the Capellans were up to could emerge. _It may be time to fetch Daddy's map case. I need to begin to work that list. The Blakists better know who the hell they decided to dance with. Even if all I want to do right now is curl up in a ball and cry. I can't, I must be the sister Victor needs._

It had been a whirlwind day, she had signed every proclamation they had put in front of her, declaring a day of mourning for her parents, declaring a state of emergency for the Capellan and Sarna Marches, authorizing Nondi Steiner greater powers in the Lyran half of the Commonwealth to prosecute the war against the Clans…the list went on.

The condolences had rolled in from almost every nation and polity in the Inner Sphere, including the Combine, through Comstar _._ But that was to, Katherine, a trivial thing. She was feeling a mixture of deep sorrow, and white-hot rage. _I will burn the Forbidden City to the damn ground as a memorial to my parents, and if necessary, my brother, Sun-Tsu, you bastard._ By about 1400, she had had enough. "I want to see my brother." Katherine had said to an aide. Security and her media handlers had thrown a fit. It wasn't secure, they said. She looked like a disheveled mess, they said. She didn't care. "I am the Archon-Princess, I want to see my brother and I want you to take me to him. Now."

Within minutes, she had been ushered through a back entrance to the hospital, and whisked up to her floor, where she was greeted by a phalanx of green surgical scrub wearing doctors and nurses, at their head, a balding, older doctor, his features betraying how tired he was from working long hours on little more than willpower, energy drinks and the occasional stolen take out meal. His brown eyes bloodshot, run through with enough red to replace the white of his pupils. His face a tinge of grey, that matched his rapidly thinning hair. Yet he had an air of someone used to being in charge, and his easy use of his command voice, as horse and gravelly as it was, confirmed Katherine's suspicions. He also looked exasperated, yet still managed to project a measure of caring for those under his care.

"Archon-Princess," he began, "my name is Doctor Alan Tadmere, I am a neurosurgeon and the lead physician on the team treating your brother. I am also chief of Neurosurgery here at this hospital. His prognosis is critical, but stable for now. He sustained a TBI, two broken legs, and his left arm took a mix of blast damage, and lacerations from flying glass so severe, that we had to amputate it. He also has gone into hypovolemic shock due to high blood loss, hence for those reasons, we had to put him into a medical coma and we are giving him all the blood we can. If he makes it through the next 24 hours, we'll see about bringing him out of it, but for right now, he needs rest. I can let you and one security man in the room with him for a few minutes, in masks and scrubs to prevent infection. He's bandaged all over because of a series of minor wounds and burns, his left arm is gone above the elbow and the stump is heavily bandaged. Both legs are broken and are in traction. He is also on a ventilator. He is getting the best care we can give him, your highness, but we are in the middle of a mass casualty event and we are stretched to the maximum. Frankly, your brother is one lucky individual to have made it this far. "

Katherine simply nodded, and suited up in the scrubs and mask that she was given. Her brother, once so powerful and full of life, lay broken on the hospital bed, looking small, and frail, with multiple tubes leading into and out of him. Machines wheezed, beeped, and made all the other sounds one associated with an ICU. "Does he feel anything?" she asked a nurse as she suited up.

"Probably not, your highness. He's pretty doped up on a variety of pain meds and nerve blockers."

Her visit had been short, a few whispered words to Victor close to his ear, and she soon found herself in the waiting area, which was like most hospitals, drab, with everything a mix of white and sickly orange, a smell of medical disinfectant wafting through the air. _Dear God, I didn't want this. But I am going to do the best with it I can, for Victor. But please God, let Victor wake up. I don't want the job. I never did._

Galen had shown up from his own room a few minutes later, he was dressed in a white hospital gown that was firmly closed, as he had a large sense of modesty. His right arm was broken and in a sling, and he had a minor concussion of his own, as he had been thrown into a pillar by the blast, thus he was spending 24 hours at the hospital for observation. No words were said between the two, she had simply collapsed into his arms, weeping, both of them praying Victor woke up.

 _Taken from the daily CCAF briefing provided to Sun-Tsu Liao, then-Chancellor of the Capellan Confederation, dated November 2nd, 3056, declassified by the Capellan State Archives, April 11_ _th_ _, 3067._

"…disruption operations against enemy command and control has been at least 60% effective by all estimates. The Blakist operatives have, in conjunction with our own Death Commandos, been successful beyond all estimates. The conventional offensive, however, has been met with mixed results, as the CCAF was as surprised as our enemies, and our option of attacking from barracks has found some units not as ready for war as we here at the Strategios were led to believe. Furthermore, the inactivity by the FWLM as of now is a cause for concern. We cannot ultimately succeed in securing our modest objectives by ourselves, the FWLM must enter the conflict on our side if we are to have a chance at all."

Sarna

Attacking Units: Blanford Grenadiers, Kingston's Legionnaires, Kincade's Rangers, Bordon's Blood Drinkers (1 Battalion), 2nd Division, Word of Blake Militia.

Defending Units: Sarna Martial Academy Training Group, Sarna Planetary Guard

The Capellan invasion of Sarna on the first wave of EAST SEA caught the Fedcom by surprise, with the Sarna Martial Academy Training Group (MATG) caught in garrison as the Capellan invasion force appeared at a pirate point 2 days out. The Sarna MATG dug in around the planetary capitol of Sarna and prepared for a long defense, but Bordon's Blood Drinkers more experienced warriors easily dug out and routed the MATG, and the other units easily crushed them under the weight of numbers. The Planetary Guard was racked with dissention by pro-Capellan elements, with the loyal elements being crushed within days. The Capellan invasion force then dug in to face the expected FC counterattack.

Campertown

Attacking Units: Stalpleton's Grenadiers

Defending Units: Alpha Regiment, 12th Vegan Rangers, Campertown Planetary Guard

Stapleton's Grenadiers had a bad invasion from the start, with an accident destroying a _Leopard-_ class Dropship, a lance of 'Mechs and causing massive confusion in the landing force. The landing itself was a confused mess, with the drop being scattered halfway across the main continent. Alpha Regiment was waiting, and made short work of most of the scattered elements, with 3rd Battalion, Stapleton's Grenadiers being the only organized elements of the invasion force (at about 50% strength) being able to escape the world a week later.

Sarmaxa

Attacking Units: House Hiritsu, Sarmaxa Militia

Defending Units: Grim Determination

House Hiritsu, though filled with inexperienced warriors, made up for their lack of experience with sheer fanaticism, and managed to pin Grim Determination down long enough for the militia to switch sides almost in their entirety. Grim Determination lost two companies before managing to hole up in an old Star League fortress and sent word for help while settling in for a siege.

Tsinghai

Attacking Units: House Matsukai

Defending Units: Beta Regiment, 12th Vegan Rangers

House Matsukai found itself in a nasty fight from the start, but managed to hold onto it's LZ by it's fingernails, and forestall Beta Regiment from crushing it outright. Both sides have settled into an attritional fight as both sides have sent for reinforcements.

Truth

Attacking Units: 15th Dracon (all four battalions)

Defending Units: 8th Arcturan Guards

The 8th Arcturan Guards fought gamely to hold Truth, but found themselves slightly overmatched, with the 15th's 4th veteran battalion always seeming to find the 8th's flanks, and turning them. After three weeks of this, the 8th, having taken 15% casualties, packed up and retreated to Kaifeng. The 15th dug in and awaited further orders. The Truth Planetary Guard remained in their barracks, declaring for the Capellan Confederation only after the 8th left the world.

Lesalles

Attacking Units: 3rd Division, Word of Blake Militia

Defending Units: 4th Fedcom RCT, Lesalles Planetary Guard

The WoBM 3rd Division found itself evenly matched against the 4th Fedcom in numbers, and a slight edge in experience. It wasn't enough to force the 4th to retreat and both sides like on Sarmaxa, settled into a long, attritional fight.

 **Diversionary Raids** Fraizer

Attacking Units: House Lusann, Bullard's Armored Cavalry

Defending Units: 41st Avalon Hussars, Fraizer Planetary Guard

The 41st Avalon Hussars were caught by near surprise, being in a state of confusion in the wake of the terror attacks on New Avalon and New Syrtis. The 41st, to it's credit, recovered quickly, but was unable to prevent the Capellan raiders from making off with a half-billion C-Bills worth of raw materials. The Planetary Guard was unable to mobilize in time to assist the 41st.

Horsham

Attacking Units: 1st Battalion, 5th Confederation Reserve Cavalry

Defending Units: 1st Capellan Dragoons, Horsham Planetary Guard

The 1st Battalion's raid on Horsham was a mixed bag, while the battalion managed to land in one piece, and smash up a few half-hearted counterattacks by the 1st Capellan Dragoons and the Planetary Guard, but they did not carry off anything of value on world, and left a week later, frustrated that their raid had achieved so little.

Bromhead

Attacking Units: 2nd and 3rd Battalions, 5th Confederation Reserve Cavalry

Defending Units: Bromhead Planetary Guard

The Planetary Guard did it's best, but was overmatched by the 'Mechs of the 2nd and 3rd Battalions. Within 48 hours, the planetary government was offering it's surrender to the Capellan force, only to find the Capellans had left, making off with an entire months' worth of production of refined petrochemicals (worth about 5 Billion C-Bills).

Velhas

Attacking Units: Ishihara's Grenadiers, Marshigama's Legionnaires

Defending Units: 10th Donegal Guards, Velhas Planetary Guard

The 10th fought reasonably well, until a week into the fighting, they left an exposed flank that the Marshigama's Legionnaires jumped upon and rolled up, forcing the 10th into an ignominious rout. The Capellans salvaged 2 companies of FedCom 'Mechs and left soon after, feeling they had achieved all they were going to.

Verlo

Attackers: Albermale's Highlanders (1 Btn)

Defending Units: 15th Deneb Light Cavalry RCT

The raid on Verlo was an unmitigated disaster for Albermale's Highlanders, as their attempted drop on top of the 15th's 'Mech barracks ended with the unit being scattered all over the continent because of heavy FedCom aerospace activity. It took a week for the 15th to mop up the survivors.

Indicass

Attacking Units: 2nd Confederation Reserve Cavalry

Defending Units: St. Ives Cheveau-Legurs

The raid by the 2nd CRC was hoped to keep St. Ives from doing anything to help the FedCom while East Sea ran its course. What happened however, probably did more to encourage St. Ives than discourage it. The 2nd CRC landed with little trouble, but soon found itself in a hornet's nest. The St. Ives forces were in no mood to see the Capellan landings as a limited raid, and showed the Capellan raiders no mercy at all, chasing the 2nd CRC all over the planet. This was exacerbated when news arrived of what had happened to Duchess Liao. Barely a battalion of the 2nd CRC survived the week to surrender to the Cheveau-Legurs.

Mendham

Attacking Units: 4th Division, Word of Blake Militia

Defending Units: 21st Rangers, Illician Lancers, Mendham Planetary Guard

The Blakists managed to get to ground at a cost of half of the Division's aerospace fighters, and met the 21st Rangers amongst the planetary starport. Both sides went after each other without restraint and left the starport a wreck, and heavy casualties on both sides, after a week's worth of fighting, when the 2nd Division suddenly withdrew and returned to Capellan space.

 _Alternative Relocation Site, Clan Steel Viper_

 _20km North of the Great Gash_

 _Twycross_

 _Clan Steel Viper Occupation Zone_

 _October 20_ _th_ _, 3056_

The relocation site was an underground bunker, left over from the days of the old Lyran Commonwealth, and it hadn't seen use since the 3rd Succession War. It had taken quite a few work credits to get to a minimal Clan standard, but Perigard Zalman, Khan of Clan Steel Viper was glad he had spent the money. _Considering how quickly the Federated Commonwealth kicked us off Waldorff? This was a very good idea indeed._

"Ahmed, what does the Watch tell us about the movements of the Federated Commonwealth forces?" Zalman thundered, he had been a man possessed of late, his very nature despised being on the defensive, and wanted to hit back. But thus far, the FedCom had not given him the opportunity, that was, until now.

"My Khan, our sources, as well as information we have managed to contract from the Diamond Shark Watch, has confirmed that the Federated Commonwealth forces have had a short operational pause. They seem to have overstretched their logistical chain, and I believe, my Khan, that we have a small window to launch a counterattack to restore a corridor to our forces currently cut off to coreward.

Zalman exhaled. "And what of the Wolves? Any actions on their part? Surely they cannot believe that the FedCom will cease their actions once they have driven us and the Falcons from the Inner Sphere?"

"Neg, my Khan, there is little word from the Wolves, other than some seemingly routine troop movements. We have also heard nothing from the ilKhan himelf…which does concern me, my Khan."

Zalman nodded. _What are you up to, Kerensky? What little ploy are you planning to better your "former" clan?_

"Ahmed, pass word to the units on world, that they are to be ready for combat operations within thirty days. I intend to lead the counterattack myself. The FedCom _savashri_ have only faced _lucrewarriors_ and _solahma._ Now it is time to face our best." Zalman wore a feral grin, he was sure of the glory to come.

 _Command Post of 1_ _st_ _Falcon Velites_

 _Jabuka_

 _Clan Jade Falcon Occupation Zone_

 _October 22_ _nd_ _, 3056_

Star Colonel Serendice Prentice was annoyed, he had been woken from a very enjoyable slumber, with dreams of glory for himself and his clan filling his head. To be awoken by a bondsman and almost ignominiously tossed into the back of a General-Purpose Vehicle and driven back to the main command post. The command post was in chaos, not befitting an elite unit of Clan Jade Falcon, especially one that was holding the Clan's most important holding, so close to Terra.

"CEASE YOUR CONFUSED MEANDERINGS, YOU SAVASHRI FOOLS!" Prentice boomed, his voice of command filled the main map room. Everyone stopped in their tracks, and gave him their rapt attention.

Prentice silently exhaled, and ran his hands through his straw blond hair. His jade green eyes searched the room. "We are Jade Falcon. We do not run about like confused chicks, we soar on the winds of glory. We WELCOME a batchall! No matter whom it may be! Now, put me through, we will make those who challenge our clan regret their decision to hunt us!"

Another bondsman showed up with his dress uniform, which he hurriedly donned, and a wall screen came to life. The image coalesced and took form. _It couldn't be._ The form was nothing less than the saKhan of Clan Wolf, Natasha Kerensky herself.

"Hello, Star Colonel Prentice. You know whom I am, and my codex, so we don't have to engage in that tiresome Falcon tradition. I am challenging Clan Jade Falcon's right to Jabuka, with what do you plan to contest my challenge, Green Pidgeon?"

"Khan Kerensky. I bid my entire cluster. I will award you safecon, this should be decided by warriors. And I hope you are so cocky, when I make you my bondsman?"

Kerensky shook her head with a mirthful grin. "Star Colonel? I have had Jade Falcons bigger and badder than you make that threat. They are either dead, or Wolves now. I do hope you join the ranks of the latter, as your codex would be a shame to lose. So be it, I will face you with my 13th Wolf Guards."

Prentice muttered "Well bargained and done, Kerensky, I shall see you soon." He drew his hand across his throat to kill the signal. _The glory I will win from this fight!_


	21. Vengance, Part 1

_Situation Room_

 _Fox's Den, Mount Davion_

 _New Avalon_

 _Crucis March, Federated Commonwealth_

 _November 6_ _th_ _, 3056_

As the briefing droned on with news of an inconclusive battle here, a Blakist or Capellan terror attack there, the litany all meant one thing to Katherine. _It's all on my damn watch, and I am dancing to Sun-Tsu's tune._ She drummed her fingers as she reached through her mind. She'd been mostly a passive observer in the military and intelligence briefings, still a bit in shock over the events of nineteen days before. She'd given Nondi more autonomy on the Clan front, and Nondi in her last communication said that the Steel Vipers "..were horribly telegraphing their intentions". _Whatever the hell that meant._

Victor was still in a coma, and Katherine made a point of reading to him by his bed, a chapter a day from the classics. Katherine smiled at that, _he wasn't much for classic literature, but now? Now I think he's a bit of a captive audience._ They were on the third chapter of _Moby Dick, but reading to Victor just reminds me how I miss him, and how I am on the damn backfoot because of that murderous jackal on Sian! And Peter, Yvonne, Arthur? Jesus, they're in godddamned seclusion! I can't even send a message to them! I can't be the big sister I need to be, the ruler I need to be? All I can be is angry, impotent..and…_

There was a S _NAP,_ Katherine hadn't realized it, but she had snapped her stylus from the anger over the fate of her parents. All the heads in the Situation Room turned. A thought came unbidden to Katherine. "Ladies and Gentlemen, can everyone but the principals clear the room?" Katherine queried. It wasn't long before a rustling of papers and chairs commenced as the veritable army of junior aides, briefers, and clerical personnel cleared the room. Katherine waited for all of them to clear the room. Once the last of them left, the door closed with a snick, it seemed louder to Katherine that it possibly could have. She took a deep breath, surveyed the room. _Time to show them the nutcase has some teeth after all._

"Ladies and Gents, to put it in terms my father would have said, these last three and a half weeks have been a terrible ass kicking. I intend we begin to put an end to it: Now."

Quintus Allard cleared his throat, his deputy Alex Mallory rustling through his papers expecting a request from his boss for information to back up a point his boss to make. "Your Highness, as much as I would like to, it's been a little tough just keeping ahead of all the Capellan and Blakist terror cells loose in the Sarna and Capellan Marches. And with Sarna under Capellan control…"

"I am aware of these challenges, but my family has been murdered, my brother clings to life in a hospital bed, and worse, our people cower in fear of almost daily terror attacks. No Quintus, I am done _reacting._ We are going to start taking control of this mess back. And that begins now." Katherine reached for an old, tattered olive green mapcase, it was standard Davion issue, and had a faded patch of the 3rd Davion Guards, a bird of prey soaring with a sword in it's talons. She opened it and removed a folder and placed it on the table. Alex Mallory leaned over and picked it up, and then leafed through it, his face slowly going white.

"Who compiled this, your Highness?"

"My father, he did so with the cooperation of your office. He just compiled names he saw in the daily briefs he still received. I suspect he knew we might need this. I am sad to say that he was right. I want all the names on this list dead by the end of the month, Alex. And no, damn the consequences!"

"Your highness, some on this list are prominent citizens of the Free Worlds League, two are members of their Parliament. One is an adviser to Thomas Marik. We can't just…"

Katherine saw red. "Yes, we can, Alex. I am tired of having open season declared on my family. Of letting that little bastard on Sian call the tune! He decided the type of war he wanted. Well, now he gets it. And if Thomas wants to give aid and comfort to the doers? Then a little of this is going to splash on him. And no, if that means war with him too, then so be it. He should know better. I will give him the chance to hand these people over to us before we take them out, but if they aren't in our hands by the end of the month, then they will have seen their last sunrise. No ifs, ands, or buts, Alex."

Alex blanched "Your Highness, this could hurt our agent networks in the League."

Katherine breathed "I am aware of that. I know it's a big risk for those men and women we have sent there. But, it's what we have trained them to do. And its cold comfort that we ask them to do it simply for queen and country, but ladies and gentlemen, this goes beyond politics as usual in the Inner Sphere. If we don't do this, no one and nothing is safe. The Blakists hit a damn shopping mall on Kestrel a week ago full of Christmas shoppers. No, we need to make it very unhealthy for these people. And Alex?"

"Yes, your Highness?"

"I want the targets to know who and why they are dying. Instruct the agents to tell their targets, or leave a calling card that says, "Greetings from Hanse and Melissa Steiner-Davion." And I want two Capellan names added to that list. Kali Liao, and Dina Ferarra."

"You want us to kill the head of the Maskirovka and the Chancellor's sister?"

"She planned the operation that killed my parents, and he needs to know the pain of losing family." Katherine said serenely. "After this, Alex, no more killings. We win this war clean. But now, we let them know they chose this war and the form it takes. We get to choose our form of retribution, and we will choose the form in which it ends. And I fully intend for it to end in our favor."


	22. Vengance, Part 2

_Throne Room_

 _Forbidden Palace_

 _Sian_

 _Sian Commonality, Capellan Confederation_

 _November 18_ _th_ _, 3056_

Sun-Tsu Liao was somewhat satisfied with himself thus far, EAST SEA's first wave had gone about as well as he had any right to expect. _Taking Sarna was a damn coup, and one you didn't expect at all, I wish they'd all been that easy. Now if my father in law would get off his overstuffed ass on Atreus, we could really humble the Davions and their spawn. But until then, we will do the best with what we have._

The briefing teams were shuffling into the room for twice daily briefing, and from the looks on their faces, it appeared that the news was as usual, mixed. Shang was on an troubleshooting assignment, which might even involve actually shooting someone, as the war was discovering the rot in the CCAF did run pretty deep. _Even with the Blakists helping us, the CCAF isn't equal to the task we have asked it to perform, but the Mask and ROM is doing a fine job of keeping the enemy off balance. I may personally not approve of the methods, but as Grandfather used to say, or at least as the official records said he said, "Never hesitate to complicate the life of your enemy by any means possible, they won't hesitate to do it to you if give half a chance."_

What frustrated Sun-Tsu is that he had to keep so many units watching St. Ives or the Marik frontier, or the Periphery, for EAST SEA, the Capellans didn't have that much to work with, but he was tempted to make a fast grab of Bromhead, it's not like the Davions had a garrison there. _Not that the planet's worth much._

The briefing droned on with the usual news, stalemate here, minor successes there. More terror attacks on "soft" targets in the Capellan and Sarna Marches, when a courtier, resplendent in an outfit of Liao Jade Green and piped with Gold, came to one knee and cleared his throat to get the attention of all in the room. "Celestial Wisdom. I come bearing an important delivery from ComStar. It is a message from the current regent of the Davions, Katrina Steiner-Davion herself. May I approach the throne with the ROM and hand it to you, Celestial Wisdom?"

Sun-Tsu nodded, and the courtier deftly walked up the few steps to the dais, bowing while averting direct eye contact and handing the disk to Sun-Tsu, then quickly retreating off the dais, down the stairs, and to the rear of the throne room. Sun-Tsu examined the disk. It was a normal enough ROM disk. It had the Fist and Sunburst of the Federated Commonwealth inlaid into the disk, and a simple message printed into it "FOR THE EYES OF THE CAPELLAN CHANCELLOR ONLY."

There was a small slot for the playing of ROMs laid into the design of the Celestial Throne, and a screen on the opposite wall where the playback would be displayed. Sun-Tsu inserted the disk, and rose from his throne "Perhaps the Davion bitch has come crawling to us for our mercy, eh?" _I doubt it, the last time the Davions sent a ROM here, it was an ill omen, but appearances must be kept up._ Sun-Tsu's mind groaned even as he kept an outward smile.

The screen showed a test pattern, beeped three times, and then came to an image of a blonde, blue-eyed woman of about twenty years of age. She looked tired, haggard, but there was a steel in her eyes, _and a righteous anger too. I will have to be careful with this one. Katherine Steiner-Davion has something of her Grandmother in her. The Mask clearly underestimated her._

"Greetings Sun-Tsu Liao," the video began. "You know me, and who I am. But if you think I sent this video to beg for mercy, or offer you worlds or praise you don't deserve, you are clearly mistaken. I sent you this message to inform you of something: Your sister is dead. In fact, she, her staff, and all of her courtiers are dead."

The image soon switched to a first-person camera view of what had to be a soldier running through the halls of a mansion, a mansion Sun-Tsu knew quite well. It was Kali's on Highspire. The radio transmissions were clipped, professional, and from people who knew what the hell they were doing.

 _VALKYRIE SIX, THIS IS TWO, WE GOT THREE DOWN IN THE FOYER, NONE ARE PRIMARY TARGET, CHARLIE MIKE._

 _ROGER TWO, MEET US UPSTAIRS, PRIMARY TARGET HAS A SAFE ROOM AND WE WANT TO HEAD HER OFF FROM THAT._

One could hear the soldier's elevated briefing as he took the stairs two at a time, and it soon became clear the camera was attached to the primary sight of the soldier's weapon. The weapon came up and the muzzle flashed, and two of Kali's servants fell, blood and gore blossoming from their wounds as they fell at the head of the stairs.

The soldier moved with practiced, ease, checking room to room, when he met resistance in one room, he simply fell back, pitched a grenade into the room, which after a few seconds, went off with a stark white flash, and a small cloud of dust. He then fired several quick bursts at a collection of overturned furniture in the corner of the room. As he approached the body it resolved to be one of Kali's pet Thugees, tattooed and maimed in the name of Kali and her self-proclaimed godhood. _Who are these people, they are going through her people like a buzzsaw?_

The figure turned right, then left and came to a set of teak double doors, inlaid with jade and gold in the form of characters in Chinese and Punjabi. _Oh no, they got to Kali's room._ Sun-Tsu showed no outward sign, but inwardly, he knew what was to come next.

The doors were quickly wired with some form of explosive from another commando, and then they blew open with a small, sharp BANG. A group of commandos then kicked open the door and flew into the room, the POV camera going right, then shifting towards the middle of the room, swinging towards the image of his sister, Kali, her slender frame clothed in a green and red silk robe, and armed with an semi-automatic pistol, she was trying to get around to shoot the person with the camera, but she was too late. Several off-screen reports sounded, and gouts of blood, bone, and vicera exploded as if by magic from her head and chest. Kali dropped like a puppet with her strings cut, she said not a word as the pistol clattered to the floor. The POV approached Kali, kicked away the pistol and in the same motion, put two more bullets into her already shattered skull.

An excited voice soon got on the radio, it was out of breath, but the elation was obvious: _RINGMASTER, THIS IS VALKYRIE SIX, PRIMARY TARGET IS DOWN. REPEAT PRIMARY TARGET IS DOWN AND WE HAVE CONFIRMATION. EXECUTING EXFIL NOW, OVER._

 _RINGMASTER CONFIRMS VALKYRIE SIX, WELL DONE, SEE YOU AT THE EXFIL, OUT._

The image froze and returned to Katherine Steiner-Davion. "Sun-Tsu, you killed my parents in cold blood, you have gravely wounded my brother in cold blood, and forced the rest of my family into hiding. Worse, you have murdered thousands of my people. My father attacked your grandfather for a lot less. Now, now I intend to finish what you started. I don't intend to just destroy the Capellan Confederation or make you part of the Commonwealth. No, I intend to _end you._ You and your entire diseased line. Your sister was just the start.

"You started this war with a perfidious stab in the back, when I come for you Sun-Tsu? You'll see the goddamned knife coming. I promise you. Because, to quote an old move, 'I am coming, and hell is coming with me.' Until then, see you on the battlefield, Sun-Tsu, because your victories won't last long, and I think you know that."

The recording froze on Katherine's ice-cold smile. It was then that Sun-Tsu noticed two things. First, was the fact that that smile had never left Katherine's face, and that it never, ever reached her eyes, and the second? That a chill had entered the throne room, and it was only getting colder.

Sun-Tsu barked "Send a company of the Red Heart Guard to Highspire. Confirm the claims of this video. NOW! Second, fetch Major Tsang and my Senior Colonels, and my Maskirovka Director! I WANT OPTIONS!"

The senior Maskirovka briefing officer got on his phone and called his superior, attempting to summon his boss, but his demeanor soon changed. "Sire, Chairman Ferarra is dead, her VTOL was shot down by a SRM launcher, we just found out. A note was recovered at the scene. It said, "Greetings from Hanse and Melissa Steiner-Davion."

"Where was her security detail?" Sun-Tsu thundered.

"Their helicopter was shot down too. We've brought in the Death Commandos to find the assailants." the briefer answered meekly.

Sun-Tsu saw red. "Out, everyone OUT NOW!" Sun-Tsu came down off the throne in a fury and snatched a polearm out of the hands of one of the throne room guards and began to randomly smash items in the throne room in a cacophony of metal, ceramics and wood until he was tackled by several courtiers and guards. The tangle of limbs struggled with him mightily, one courtier being badly disfigured by a swipe of Sun-Tsu's reinforced claws. It took three minutes to tackle him to the ground, and drag him back to his private quarters, with everyone involved whispering apologies for having violated his person the entire way.

Sun-Tsu didn't stop screaming until he was administered a sedative ten minutes later.

 _Free Worlds League Parliament Chamber_

 _Atreus_

 _Free Worlds League_

 _November 20_ _th_ _, 3056_

"The Chair recognizes the Captain-General for the purposes of answering the questions of this august body today, and thanks him in advance for making time from his schedule for us."

Captain-General Thomas Marik rose from his chair, his uniform resplendent with medals that in many cases, were little more than honorifics and attendance awards. His beard covering the worst of the scars from the bombing that had killed most of his family, and his body stooped with age as his brown eyes searched the aisles for friends. _There doesn't appear to be any today._ His hair shone with grey, the brown of his youth having been chased away by the years long ago.

He arrived at the podium and cleared his throat, waiting for the deluge of questions to begin, the wait wasn't long at all.

"The chair recognizes Lady Demantha Korenth, MP Marik Commonwealth."

"Captain-General, I would ask if it is a good idea to maintain relations with two powers whom in the last month, have shown a great predilection to shed innocent blood, and even now, may being some wholly justified down upon the League. I would remind the Captain-General that we were not consulted before one of these powers were allowed to enter the League?"

Thomas Marik cleared his throat. "Ms. Kortenth, I would remind her Ladyship that foreign policy is a exclusive domain of the Captain-Generalcy, and I made the decision to allow the Word Of Blake entry to the League under my reserved powers in that arena. As for their recent actions, I, and my cabinet are monitoring events in the newfound war between the Federated Commonwealth and the Capellan Confederation. The Word of Blake is allied with the Confederation, and they have the right to do so. I acknowledge that reports of their activities in the conflict thus far are alarming, but much of that can be dismissed as Federated Commonwealth propaganda."

There was an uproar. One MP shouted "Propaganda my ass! You've thrown our lot in with murderers!"

The Speaker attempted to gavel the body to order, but he was shouted down by at least a dozen voices shouting, "impeach the Captain-General" and "Repeal 288!"

Thomas took this as his cue to leave, turning and making for a side entrance that was intended for parliamentary pages, and reporters, but was also useful when a Captain-General had to make a quick exit, such as today.

His SAFE Director, Wilson Chernikov, was waiting. Wilson's flowing white hair and green eyes belied long hours at the office, tracking the two wars that were coming uncomfortably close to the League's borders..not to mention the fact that the League may have unwittingly allowed a bunch of terrorists to start up shop inside the borders of the League.

"Tell me you have some good news, Wilson? Thomas asked.

"I do." Wilson answered in a clipped tone, as he handed a lengthy stack of documents in a folder marked "Special Tasks".

"I will do the Captain-General a service and summarize. He's been cheating on your daughter with a member of his palace staff for some time. Were this to come to light, we could…"

"..back out of the alliance with little issue, and avoid war. But what's the chance that lunatic comes after us? Or worse, Joshua on New Avalon? He blew up six _thousand_ people to get at Hanse and Melissa Davion for Christ's sake!"

"Word is Sun-Tsu's on some sort of crusade and the Blakists may have sold him a bill of goods, sire."

Thomas swore softly. "So it's either war on a faulty premise where most of the provinces are going to stay home, Addendum or no. Or, I betray an alliance where I let my only daughter marry a man who's cheating on her rather than produce a goddamned heir! It seems obvious on what I should do."

"It does sire, and frankly, I agree, but there is the small issue of the Blakists still in the League. Were we to announce our neutrality in this war.."

"..they might turn on us. And you're worried you cannot find them all?" Thomas opined.

"Sire, they've had six years to burrow into our military, intelligence agencies, and our bureaucracy. If they wanted to, they could cause some real havoc. But, Katherine's offer is worth entertaining. We just have to tread very, very carefully."

Thomas nodded "Ok, Wilson. Compile a list and get set to move on these people. I want them alive to turn over to the Fedcom, but if not, their bodies will do. If the Fedcom come for them first, don't get in the way. Meanwhile, let's let the Blakists think we're are about to jump into the war on the side of the Capellans, for now. If somehow, the Capellans beat expectations…then we can just honor the alliance..and if not.."

"We can back down. Iffy game of brinkmanship, Sire." Chernikov intoned, raising an eyebrow.

"Do we have a choice, Wilson?" Thomas stated, a tone of exasperation obvious in his voice.

"No, we do not sire. No, we do not." Wilson stated, as he shook his head with his own sense of resignation.


	23. The End on Sudeten, a gladiusone Omake

_AN: I want to thank gladiusone for the excellent Omake that makes up the core of this chapter. It captures the pathos and vengeful triumph I suspect all the FC forces are feeling at this moment_

 _Taken from the daily FC operational briefing provided to Field Marshal Ranier Poulin, Supreme Commander of "Operation Clover Spear", declassified October 9th, 3076._

"..current Jade Falcon and Steel Viper operations are characterized as "chaotic, but recovering" due to the current pause in operations. We expect enough ammunition and POL restocks to be on-hand within the next ten days to jump off for the third wave sometime in early November. The fall of Sudeten has eased the logistical situation due to the improved cargo handling facilities both at L5 and planet side."

"SIGINT and HUMINT sources have detected signs of an impending Steel Viper counterattack coming within the next 10-15 days (see Appendix A – Enemy Dispositions and intentions) for details on this, but we feel confident we can defeat any counterattack they mount due to the fact that they have no intelligence as to current defenses of potential target worlds and from the size of the logistical dumps we have captured, it suggests that both the Falcons and Vipers were having supply problems even before Clover Spear commenced."

 **Sudeten, Part 2**

Attackers: Von Strang's Legion (Reinforced Regiment, Elite), Wolf's Dragoon's Volunteer Cluster, Provisional Royal Guards Battalion.

Defenders: Doberung Garrison Cluster, Clan Jade Falcon, saKhan's Provisional Keshik, Clan Jade Falcon, "Hazen's Heroes" Cluster (scratch three trinary cluster of a mix of solahma trainers and sibko children who fought as infantry).

Results: The defense of Maakar Island by the scratch force of Jade Falcon defenders was by all accounts, brave, determined, and doomed. After a short, violent bombardment by Dragoon warships and FC aerospace of the fixed defenses in the early morning hours, Von Strang's Legion performed an avalanche drop right on top of "Hazen's Heroes." The Falcon defenders met the initial drop by Von Strang's Legion gamely and fought hard every step of the way to the command bunker, where Von Strang was hit in the flank by the Falcon Provisional Keshik. Even with a weight and technology advantage favoring the Falcons, the Legion, wheeled to meet them and held them in place, coolly meeting them head to head and unhorsing saKhan Chistu in the initial volleys.

After a long four hour fight, Jamie Wolf arrived with his Volunteer Cluster, built mostly around the elements of Zeta Battalion and a few warriors from the other component units of the Dragoons, they dropped behind the Provisional Keshik, and the Legion and the Dragoons closed the vise in another two hours of a fight that was described as "like firing submachineguns at each other in a vidphone booth, with blindfolds."

A counterattack by the remains of the Doberung into the flank of the Dragoons was met by the provisional Royal Guards Battalion, and smashed handily, with copious assistance from airstrikes by aerospace elements from the Legion, the Dragoons and the Royal Guards.

Two hours later, the senior surviving officer, a Star Captain Lisl, ordered all surviving Jade Falcon forces to surrender. It was mute testimony to the severity of the short, sharp fight, that only 80 Jade Falcon EPWs were taken, but among them was saKhan Vandervahn Chistu himself. He has since been handed over to LIC and MOJ officials for debriefing. Sudeten was declared secure by Jamie Wolf on October 9th, 3056.

 _1800m AGL above Maakar Island_

 _Sudeten_

 _Jade Falcon Occupation Zone_

 _October 9_ _th_ _, 3056_

Juliette grunted as the DropShop shuddered around her 'Mech, the Tepes clearly hitting turbulence. Glancing at the status display, she nodded, feeling the weight of her neurohelmet with the gesture. Flipping switches on her console, she activated the Legion-wide circuit. "Legionaires. You know me. I have no grand speech for you: simply know that this, today, is our day. This is the first step on the long road home. We have fought on a dozen worlds, slaughtered a thousand beasts, but today, my Legion," she glanced over at the rapidly ticking altimeter, "Today, we murder a khan."

With that, the bottom dropped out of the world as all three of her Legion's 'Mech carrier DropShips deployed their cargo. Instead of dropping from orbit, wrapped in ablative cocoons and rocket engines, her 'Mechs were dropping from low altitude, relying on strap-on jump packs to break their fall ... mostly.

The Dragoon WarShip had managed to suppress the Falcon's heavy weapon turrets, and a swarm of Legion and FedCom fighters had distracted the anti-air weapons of the island, enough to allow three Overlord class ships to penetrate their defenses and deploy their passengers ... right on top of the Falcon defenders.

Screaming in fury, Juliette's Devastator landed feet first on a Falcon 'Mech, smashing the ugly, green painted thing to the ground with a hundred tons of gravity-accelerated force. Biting her lip, she shuddered to find her footing, then focused on the enemy ... the targets ... that surrounded her.

Swinging the long, heavily armoured barrel of her right gauss rifle, she smashed a Falcon Galahad aside, before raising her left rifle to place almost against the Rifleman-like 'Mech's torso and pumped a 125kg slug of nickel-iron into it, slagging the second-line 'Mech's engine and smashing it's gyro to splinters.

She was vaguely aware of her men and women fighting around her, with her friend and bodyguard Andre Winters, who had traded in his normal quad-gauss rifle toting Marauder II for a Berserker for this fight, decapitating a Falcon Baboon, and Shou squaring off his King Crab and letting loose with both heavy, rapid fire autocannons to shred a Phoenix Hawk IIC. But she couldn't focus on that, as the Falcons were fighting back, downing a brand-new Rakshasa from Third Company, First Battalion. "Tighten up, people," she shouted across the Legion's channel, even as rocket-assisted pallets slammed into the ground, dispensing their cargo of Patton, Rommel and Manticore tanks, firing autocannon, gauss rifles and PPCs even before they were completely unstrapped. Ferrocrete crumbled beneath their treads as they advanced, adding their firepower to the battle against the Falcons. "Concentrate fire! We've trained for this! Bring them down! Keep up the pressure!" she howled and grinned in savage fury as a Legion Banshee stepped on the cockpit of a downed Guillotine IIC, crushing the pilot.

"Omnis!" cried one of her 'Mech pilots, trilling lasers in the background, "Falcon Omnis hitting us from the wes-" The signal cut out, and Juliette swore, even as her PPCs savaged a dodging Falcon medium.

"Legionaries! Wheel!" she ordered, and in practiced efficiency, the black-coated 'Mechs of the Legion lurched to obey her command.

SaKhan Vandervhan Chistu swore viciously as he strode in his Warhawk towards the Docks, where the Spheroid attackers had landed. The day had started out well, all things considered: while the massive, brutal onslaught of the Federated Commonwealth upon the Jade Falcon Liberation Zone had been a shock to the system, especially an invasion by the thrice-accursed Dragoons upon Sudeten itself. Still, he had rallied, gathered the remains of the planet's defending Clusters to the Island where the backup command centre was located, protected by heavy weapons and fortifications. Fortunately, the Dragoons and their freebirth allies were savaged by the fighting as well, and this had given Chistu the chance to use the Island's HPG to contact other units and redirect them towards Sudeten. The planet's central and strategic location made it a perfect rally point, and he had already managed to order three fractured Clusters and two WarShips to join him, as well as a fresh Cluster, escorted by a Falcon Aegis, direct from the Homeworlds with the latest in Clan weapons and warriors.

But this blasted attack was frustrating matters: bad enough that the traitor Wolf had demanded his surrender - as though that were a possibility! - but now nameless lucre-warriors were sent to vex him. The incompetence of his subordinates had allowed them to land on the Island, so it was up to him and his personal forces to deal with the invaders. Fifteen heavy and assault OmniMechs should be enough to shatter this little band of thugs.

Even as his Trinary approached the fighting, marching around heavily reinforced buildings, he overheard the radio chatter from the other Falcon leaders.

 _"Connor! Get that stravag Zeus before -"_

 _"- they are ignoring zelbrigen! Honorless freebirths, they -"_

 _"Well, return the favor! Concentrate your fire on -"_

 _"Neg, you cretin: my warriors are not trained for such gutter tactics! Star Commander Fuller, on your eight! I -"_

Cursing into his neurohelmet, Chistu stepped around the last corner, and faced the madness.

Black painted Battlemechs and tanks were slugging it out with green painted Clan 'Mechs at point blank range. This was not the elegant ballet of destruction that the Jade Falcons preferred, dancing about their opponents with deadly precision, using their speed and range advantage to tear them apart: this was brutal, uncompromising, savage. His jaw dropped as he witnessed a Charger and a Grasshopper grip the arms of a solhama 'Mech, so that a Spheroid Axeman could slam its titular hatchet into the green 'Mech's cockpit. Elsewhere, a Warhammer, Flashman and Penetrator trio bracketed a Hunchback IIC that appeared to have expended its autocannon ammunition, the medium 'Mech virtually disintegrated under a barrage of energy weapon fire.

True, the Falcon defenders were giving as good as they were receiving: after all, Clan weapons were still vastly superior, being more accurate, more heat efficient, deadlier ton-for-ton, and Clan armor was more protective. Many spheroid 'Mechs were already crippled or destroyed, and many others showed clear battle damage. Yet the fighting was more vicious and close than any the Falcon saKhan had seen since Tukkayyid, and even the way the attackers were panted black reminded him of the pristine white of the Com Guards.

In the back of his mind, something about the black-painted 'Mechs tugged at his brain, something about a brutal raiding force that struck at isolated garrisons and units, but he forced himself to concentrate as he opened a channel. "Who dares attack the Falcon? Who brings doom upon -" he cut off as something grabbed the ankle of his Warhawk, and he looked down to be stunned by the black Caesar, it's legs blown off and one arm removed, scrabbling at his Omni's leg. The sheer stubborn desire to fight, to struggle to simply annoy him was surprising, and he took a moment to lower two ER PPCs and send bolts of charged particles to vaporize the offending 'Mech's cockpit and pilot. "Who brings doom upon themselves in this way?"

The comm channel crackled, and while the voice was of a young woman, the words send icy shivers down his spine: he had heard them before, many years ago. "I, the Baroness of Strang, care not for your new names." Horror and rage fought within him at the sheer gall at someone claiming that name and title. "Clans? Jade Falcons? I call you by your true name: Scum of the Star League, traitors of free will, persecutors of the Periphery come back to lord it over freedom-loving people. Come ahead, you steel-eyed robots! Come ahead and taste what a million-like-minded people think of you and your damn Clans!"

From the melee came a massive, blocky Devastator, deep rents in its armor but still standing tall. No markings relieved the dark paint over the metal, but Chistu knew that this was the bandit's leader. "You killed my father. Stole my world. Murdered my people."

From cover, an infantryman in Clan fatigues rushed the mercenary, raising a shoulder mounted SRM launcher. Without breaking stride, the hundred ton 'Mech stepped on the unfortunate solhama trooper, leaving little but a bloodstain and twisted metal. "I come to return the favor."

Jaime Wolf settled his neurohelmet on his shoulders as the Overlord-C class Dropship around him shuddered in flight. It had taken hours to scrape together a full Cluster of 45 'Mechs, the heaviest, freshest and most battle ready he had available, and it may already have been too late: the scattered reports from the fighting suggested that casualties among the Legion were high, and there was no guarantee that any would still be alive when his scratch troop arrived. Still, intelligence suggested that enough missile and cannon batteries had been neutralized to allow a DropShip to insert his force onto the island, and he planned to take advantage of that fact to wipe out the Falcon defenders once and for all.

"... don't know why we're doing this: it's the fucking von Strang bitch! The fucking Vampire!" he overheard over the general channel. He knew exactly who it was but chose not to interfere: the legacy of the von Strang name was well earned, even centuries after the Coup, and he understood the sentiment. Still, it wasn't the first time he had had to fight alongside someone he disliked. _Luthien, for example ..._

Instead, he cleared his throat. "In ages past, cities would be surrounded by high, thick walls of brick or stone. Cannon - not autocannon, but muzzle loading tubes of bronze or iron - would be used to batter a hole in the wall. Then the call would be sent out for volunteers ... volunteers for the forlorn hope.

"The forlorn hope were sent in to force the breech, to drive back the defenders, to clear away obstacles, to provide a gap for the main force to push through into the city. It was brutal, hand-to-hand fighting, and the casualties were, understandably, high. The name, after all, proclaimed one's chances of survival: slim to none.

"Nevertheless, whenever the call went up, there were always those among the attackers who would volunteer to join the forlorn hope, because while they may die, if they survived, they would be guaranteed fame, glory, wealth and promotion. For in taking such a gamble, for risking everything and braving such danger, they demonstrated their courage and dedication, and in doing so, saved the lives of those who would follow."

For a moment, the channel was silent, as almost four dozen Mechwarriors waited for their commander to continue: the only sound was the roar of the DropShip's engines and the hiss of the environmental systems.

"That is what the Legion is doing today. They are the forlorn hope. We follow in their footsteps, and whatever happens, no matter what we may think of them, we will recognize their courage and dedication."

He closed his microphone, and leant back in his command chair, closing his eyes as he prepared himself. For the most part, his men accepted his words. Still, one wiseass just had to get the last word in.

 _"Courage? More like sheer bloodthirst. Fucking vampire ..."_

Chistu grunted as he came too, as he was dragged over a chunk of rubble. He opened his eyes, groaning as he looked up at the burly infantryman in black fatigues, ballistic plate vest and helmet who had a firm grip on his cooling vest. Pieces of ferrocrete and splinters of armor plating scraped and tore at his bare limbs, and he could feel the rumble and thud of continuing battle in the distance: the war for Sudeten was not yet over.

Still, even as he shook his head to clear it, he was hauled up and then tossed to the ground, next to a fallen war machine. Forcing himself up on his forearms, he looked up to stare up at a young, red haired woman wearing a black cooling suit, resting her butt on the severed hand of a 'Mech like a throne. She glared disdainfully at him as her hands played with a long, thin strand of myomer. That awful, familiar and hateful voice flowed from her mouth: "Don't bother getting up, creature: this won't take long." Around him stood a circle of soldiers, infantry and dismounted Mechwarriors and tankers, all glaring daggers at him.

Again, the ageing Clansman struggled to concentrate. Last thing he remembered was fighting von Strang, his Warhawk against her Devastator. The infamy of having a 'Mech designed by the Great Kerensky himself being piloted by the spawn of the Vampire had been infuriating, but the pirate was deceptively nimble and skilled: despite being in a lighter, faster Omni Mech, the battle had been fierce ... the details faded as fast as he grasped at them, his head pounding in neural feedback, likely from an ammunition explosion.

"My father was never confused or deceived by your pretense and false names: he knew who you were the moment you arrived in our home system," she continued. "Yet even he failed to perceive just how low you had fallen, out there in the Dark. What madness drove you to abandon your humanity, I cannot comprehend, and choose not to even try. When an invasive species infests one's biosphere, you do not try to reason with it: you break out the pesticide." Her hands jerked decisively, and his dazed mind finally recognized what she had been fashioning.

A noose.

Even as she tossed the coil to one of her thugs, who threw one end over a nearby section of broken 'Mech to create a crude gallows, he gabbled in horror, shaking his head in denial as the fiber was slipped over his head, fighting feebly against the strong pirates who held him fast. "I ... I ... I AM JADE FALCON!" he finally forced out of his lips.

She smiled at him, baring sharpened fangs that belonged in no human mouth. "I know. That is why you are about to die."

Despite her bravado, Juliette did her best to hide her shaking as a team of her men gripped the rope, ready to haul the Falcon khan into the air. _Father, I know this is not the man who killed you, not their pestilent leader, but he is that murderer's second, his right hand. Until I have my hands on Crichell, he will have to do._

The thud of a stamping 'Mech drew her attention away from the impending lynching, and she blinked as she looked up at the blue and gold Archer that strode towards her little gathering. The exterior speakers crackled. "Colonel von Strang: stand down!"

Fury rose in her. "Back off, Wolf!" she cried, and noted out of the corner of her eye as the Falcon scrabbled at the noose, trying to loosen it. Should have tied his hands. Oh well. "This is my operation! My assault! My justice!"

"It is murder," Wolf rejoined, coming to a halt, the ground shaking beneath seventy tons of war engine.

"Yes, I know! It is! And well earned!" she insisted. Raising a hand, she called out, "Haul away, boys!"

"No!" shouted Wolf, but her Legionnaires obeyed her, and put their backs into it, pulling on the rope and raising Chistu into the air by his neck.

Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on one's perspective) the Tanker's neck failed to snap, and his eyes bulged out as he fought to force his fingers beneath the corded pseudo-muscle wrapped around his throat. Taking in the glorious sight of the penultimate leader of her mortal foe slowly strangling to death, she barely noticed the Dragoon clambering down a rope from his 'Mech's cockpit. One of her men moved to intercept him, but the ageing mercenary shoved him aside. "You cannot do this!" he stated.

She glanced over at him, taking in his greying hair and slight build, barely taller than her own. "I can, I will, I must!" She turned back to the hanging, fury fighting with satisfaction within her. "You turned down this battle, Wolf: you could have fought here, bled here, died here, like so many of my Legionnaires! My Kindred, my Forsaken, my Damned. You lost all right to decide who lives and who dies! That right is mine!"

"And when the Archon hears that you murdered this man in cold blood? Not killed him in battle, but lynching him like a common pirate?"

"He is a common pirate!" she cried, turning to face Wolf again. "You just want to save the life of a fellow Tanker, Wolf! Beasts run together, honor among thieves and murderers -"

"Girl, I have hated the Falcons longer than you've been alive!" he shouted, gripping her shoulder through her suit's padding. Furious, an infantryman raised his Blazer rifle, but she waved him back. "I have lost my father to the Falcons, my brother to the Eagle, my friend to the Dragon. I have walked the path of vengeance and blood feud, and it has cost me, and it is costing me still!"

"I am willing to pay!" Juliette shouted back, her voice breaking as her eyes started to tear up.

"And your men? Your Legion? Your world? I know Hanse, I know Melissa ... fuck, I know Victor! Whatever your bargain with them, if you take this life in this manner, they will wash their hands of you! Do you want this all to have been for nothing?"

Tears flowing down her face, she glared up at the kicking, twitching Chistu, whose face was turning purple as he glared down at her. "They murdered my father!" she wailed.

"I know, girl," whispered the legend, whom she had admired for years before learning of his heritage. "And he will pay for his crimes against your world, and a hundred more ... but not like this!"

Her heart tearing in two, her grief raging against her hope, she screamed wordlessly against the universe ... and then raised her hand and chopped it down. Obediently, her men let go of the rope, and the Falcon fell to the ground with a crunch, moaning in agony as one leg snapped against the ground. She took a little solace in that as she sank to one knee, even as Wolf crouched next to her, his hand still gripping her shoulder, while her warriors looked on in shock and surprise.

"Father," she whispered in a small voice, and for once, the indefatigable, indomitable and relentless mercenary they called the Vampire wept, even as the battle for the Falcon's capital in the Inner Sphere ground to a halt, comforted by an old freebirth as her loyal men stood guard, and a hated foe whimpered in fear and pain.

As the sun set, Jaime Wolf found Juliette von Strang standing on the roof of a building, watching as DropShips landed and took off, transporting troops, wounded, booty and supplies. She didn't look up as he approached, and just fiddled with a small chip between her fingers. The part of Wolf that was born in Clan space shuddered at her possession of a khan's codex chip, but the seasoned mercenary in him just shrugged. "Your butcher's bill?"

A flaring of the nostrils was her only sign of distress. "Significant. Twenty-three 'Mech pilots dead, sixty two machines out of commission: we may be able to salvage a dozen of those. Nine tanks and crews lost, and forty-seven infantry dead. Many more are wounded." She smiled tightly. "No aerospace personnel or machines lost, bar minor armor damage and expended munitions, so that's something. As it is, my Legion will be some time rebuilding ... if the war allows us that luxury."

He nodded. "I recall a similar time, long before you were born."

"Misery," she noted, and he grunted. "My losses must seem paltry in comparison to your casualties on that world."

"Perhaps, but that was over weeks. You suffered yours in under six hours." He paused. "'Believe me, nothing except a battle lost can be half so melancholy as a battle won.'"

"Arthur Wellesley. I prefer his opponent: 'Between a battle lost and a battle won, the distance is immense ... _and there stand empires_.'"

"Boney had a way with words on occasion," admitted Wolf.

The two colonels, one young and female, the other elderly and male, stood in companionable silence for a time, before Juliette spoke again. "I know I can trust my men, but I would appreciate it if you could ... see your way clear to forgetting today's events. Regarding the khan."

Wolf bowed his head. "Of course." He paused. "I believe, in time, you would have regretted -"

She snorted in a most unladylike fashion. "Wolf, I could kill them all, burn their empire to the ground and dance on their ashes. No, this is fitting: let him be their Vercingetorix: a living trophy to parade in front of the crowds. Let him live in misery and humiliation, proof of his people's defeat until shame takes him or they grow weary of him. Less immediately satisfying, of course, but perhaps more so in the long run." Then she glanced over at him. "But this campaign is under the Commonwealth flag, under their rules of engagement. When I retake my home world ... I assure you, the flag I fly shall be black as night.

"No mercy. No quarter. No exceptions."

 _FLASH FLASH FLASH_

 _NCA NEW AVALON AND HIS FAMILY HAVE BEEN THE VICTIM OF A TERRORIST ATTACK ON NEW AVALON ON 11 OCTOBER, 3056. GALAHAD AND GUENIVERE ARE CONFIRMED KIA. DURAN IS WIA. PROGNOSIS IS IN DOUBT. LE FAY IS NOW NCA. RPT, LE FAY IS NOW NCA. NATURE OF ATTACK IS THOUGHT TO BE CAPELLAN-STATE SPONSORED, RPT CAPELLAN STATE-SPONSORED._

 _HUNTRESS ORDERS THAT ALL UNITS MAINTAIN CURRENT OPERATIONS AS PER PLAN_

 _PLEASE INFORM YOUR SUBORDINATE COMMANDERS OF EVENTS AND PROCEED ACCORDINGLY._

 _POULIN_

 _END MSG_

 _FLASH FLASH FLASH_

 _Flash Transmission sent out to all commands involved in Clover Spear, 23 October, 3056 informing them of the attack on New Avalon. Message was declassified after Information Act request made by DBC on 31 January, 3061._


End file.
